Crew Roster · Personal File
Joseph A. Sciegaj
Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Joseph A. Sciegaj served as left waist gunner aboard B-24J 42-50829 on the 18 September 1944 supply mission to Eindhoven. Prior to ditching he had his back against the ball turret wall.
Sciegaj spotted the inflated dinghy in the water and was one of three survivors recovered by Royal Navy vessels. He returned to duty. His name is OCR-corrupted to 'Solegaj' in one copy of the MACR.
Sortie Log
3 CATALOGUED SORTIES
25 APR 1944 — 18 SEP 1944
25 APR 1944 — 18 SEP 1944
The sorties below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
8AF Mission
Date
Target
Aircraft
№ 317
25 APR 1944
MannheimM/Y
Ack Ack Shack42-94970
№ 327
29 APR 1944
Berlin??
Ack Ack Shack42-94970
№ 639
18 SEP 1944
Eindhoven
B-24J serial 42-50829, nicknamed 'Sweet Chariot,' was on a supply mission to Eindhoven on 18 September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. The aircraft departed Hardwick and flew at a maximum altitude of 1,800 feet. Four minutes before reaching the IP, No. 2 engine was knocked out by small arms fire and feathered. After dropping supplies, No. 3 engine began smoking and another engine was feathered due to further small arms damage. No. 1 engine subsequently lost power. The nose turret, elevator trim tabs, and the airframe generally were shot up. Unable to maintain altitude, the crew jettisoned loose equipment and ditched in the North Sea at approximately 5157N 0233E. The impact was extremely violent. Two Royal Navy surface craft that had received Major Segars' radio distress calls arrived almost immediately and recovered three survivors: 2nd Lt. Karian, T/Sgt Lamoureux, and S/Sgt Sciegaj.
Sweet Chariot42-50829