Leopold S. Poduszczak
Second Lieutenant Leopold S. Poduszczak, Serial: O-733352, 333rd Bomber Squadron, 94th Bomber Group (Heavy), U.S. Army Air Forces. Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart. He lived at 1105 Lowell Street, Camden NJ. Memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England.
Second Lieutenant Leopold S. Poduszczak, son of Boleslaw “Barney” and Julia Poduszczak, served in the Army Air Force for a period of two years. Born in Camden NJ on December 21st, 1916, he attended the Bonsall School on Mount Ephraim Avenue. He lived with his grandparents in Sandonierz, Poland from 1932 through 1936, completing most of his high school education there, before returning to the USA to attain a high school diploma from Camden High school in 1937. At that time the family was living at 1634 Kolo Street in Camden; by June of 1939 they had moved to a nearby home at 1105 Lowell Street in Camden. Younger brother Richard Poduszczak also had gone back to live in Poland, from 1934 until January of 1939.
Leopold Poduszczak enlisted in the Army Air Force with his brother Richard in August of 1941, and after basic training was trained as a bombardier in Texas, California, and Washington. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on November 21, 1942. He was home in Camden to visit for two days in May of 1943 before flying to England, where his unit was stationed.
Leopold Poduszczak was killed when the B-17 he was in was shot down over the North Frisian Islands in the North Sea during a raid on Hanover, Germany on July 26th, 1943. Besides his parents, he was survived by two brothers, Corporal Richard and Thaddeus Poduszczak, who worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. His death was reported in the August 2, 1943 edition of the Camden Courier-Post.
St. Joseph’s Church Keeps in Touch with Men and Women in Armed Forces
Camden Courier-Post — 1944
By FRANK SHERIDAN
With many of their loved ones and relatives either killed, starved or reduced to slavery by the Nazi invaders of Poland four years ago, 1154 mothers of this city have given sons and daughters to fight for defense of the United States.
They are members of St. Joseph’s church, Tenth and Mechanic streets. Four sons were killed in line of duty, two others are missing and another is reported a prisoner of the Japs.
The mother of Staff Sgt. Roman Drapinski, 1468 South Tenth street, killed by a dynamite blast, is somewhere in Poland, but her name is honored equally with other mothers by the parish.
Names on Honor Roll
Others on the honor roll are Mrs. Stella Dziengowski, 1476 Louis street, mother of Sgt. Gustave Dziengowski; Mrs. Antonia Koscianski, 966 Bulson street, mother of Pvt. Walter J. Koscianski; and Mrs. George Lozowski, 1143 Sheridan street. Mother of Pvt. John Lozowski, killed in line of duty; Mrs. Jessie Piotrowski, 1343 Chase street, mother of Machinist Mate Joseph S. Piotrowski; and Mrs. Boleslau Poduszczak, 1105 Lowell street, mother of Second Lieut. Leopold Poduszczak, missing in action; and Mrs. Frank Ulak, 914 Atlantic avenue, mother of Lieut. Bruno Ulak, prisoner of the Japs.
A service bureau set up by the church keeps in contact with those in the armed forces. Letters and gifts keep flowing, and those in the service reply. An index system shows the thoroughness of the records directed by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Arthur B. Strenski and his assistants, Rev. Leon S. Winowicz, Rev. Lawrence Faber and Rev. Henry Blaszczynski. They are aided by members of the parish in keeping the records.
Sergeant Dziengowski was the first member of the parish to give his life. He was killed in an airplane crash near White City, Kan., on Jan. 12, last. Ten others were killed. They were on a trial trip in a flying fortress. He was buried at St. Joseph's cemetery, Chews Landing, with military honors after a Solemn Requiem High Mass at the church.
Brother Seized in Poland
Drapinski entered the service in September, 1941, and was attached to the Twelfth Armored Division. He came to this country from Poland five years ago and worked with his brother, Adam. Another brother, Stanislau, is a prisoner of the Germans. He was captured during the invasion of Poland. His father died in Poland two years ago and the whereabouts of his mother in Poland is not known.
Private Lozowski died in an airplane accident near a Marine base at Atlantic Field, N.C. The plane was on a trial trip and fell into a bay. Four days after the accident on April 4, the body was recovered and sent back to his parents. It was buried with military honors after a Solemn Requiem Mass at the church.
Lozowski was 20 and was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High school. He was employed by the Radio Condensor Company before his enlistment last November.
Piotrowski, who was 22, survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, but was reported lost when the cruiser Helena was sunk in the battle of Kula Gulf early in July. Admiral Jacobs, chief of Navy personnel, notified the mother of the young seaman of his apparent death.
Father Served in Army
Piotrowski was a graduate of Camden High school. He worked with his brother, Henry, in the interior decorating business before joining the Navy four years ago. He was last home on leave in April, 1942. He has another brother, Edward, and a sister, Irene. His father, John, who died several years ago, served in the Polish Army in World War I, joining a volunteer force organized in Canada. He also served as a commander of Laskowski-Wojtkowiak Post, American Legion.
Lieutenant Poduszczak was reported missing in action since July 26, when he participated in an air raid over Hanover, Germany. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941.
Enlisted in Air Corps
The sergeant was a graduate of Camden High school and starred in both basketball and football. He was employed 12 years by Public Service and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on April 7, 1942.
Private Koscianski died in action in the African campaign. Several letters sent him by the service bureau were returned unclaimed. The War Department notified his mother he was killed in Algeria on Feb. 6, last. His body was buried between two sergeants and white crosses were erected over their graves.
He worked for the Camden City Parks Department as a truck driver for five years before he was inducted June 4, 1942. He was in the Signal Corps and was driving a truck when killed. He was sent overseas two months after his induction.
Sergeant Drapinski, brother of Adam Drapinski, died July 18, last, from injuries received in the premature explosion of dynamite at Camp Campbell, Kan. Drapinski, who was 23, was giving instructions to a group of recruits when the explosion occurred.
He received his wings on Nov. 21, 1942. He was home for two days last May before going overseas. He attended Camden schools and also studied in Poland from 1932 to 1936. His brother, Richard, is a corporal in the Army Air Corps.
Lieutenant Ulak was taken prisoner at Corregidor by the Japs. He was a reserve Army officer when the war broke out and was called into active service. Ulak was born in Camden and attended St. Joseph’s school, Camden High school and was graduated from Lehigh University. He has three brothers and two sisters, besides his parents. A brother, Alfonse, is an Army sergeant in California. Other brothers are Adolph and Rudolph. The sisters are Mrs. Wanda Romanowski and Adella.