- Aleksander Gabszewicz
Aleksander Klemens Gabszewicz (6 December 1911 – 10 October 1983) was a Polish fighter pilot and a
World War II fighter ace , with a score of 9½ confirmed and 2 probable kills.Biography
Born in Szawle, then in
Russian Empire , in 1931 he joined thePolish Army . Initially serving as an infantry NCO, in 1938 he graduated from theDęblin -based "Eagles' School" and was attached to the air wing of the Border Defence Corps. Just before theWorld War II he was a tactical officer of the IV/1 Fighter Group.After the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War on 1 September 1939, around 9 AM, he scored his first kill, a
Heinkel He 111 of 5.(K)/LG 1 unit overCiechanów . According to some authors, it was the first kill of the German plane in World War II. [Marius Emerling: "Pierwszy zestrzał w kampanii wrześniowej 1939 r. - Mit ppor.pil. Władysława Gnysia" in: Lotnictwo Wojskowe Nr.5/2002 (in Polish)]Downed the same day, he made it to France where he became the CO of the 5th key of
Grouppe de Chasse III/10 coveringBesançon . There, while piloting aBloch 151 , he downed another Heinkel.After the capitulation he made it to the United Kingdom, where he served in the ranks of the
No. 607 Squadron RAF and then theNo. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron . Since 1941 he commanded an escadrille within theNo. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron ; then he commanded the entire2nd Polish Wing and finally the1st Polish Wing . He also served as a CO of the56th USAAF Fighter Group and the 131st Fighter Wing RAF.He ended the war in the rank of
generał brygady and remained in exile in London, where he died in 1983. His ashes were brought to Poland in 1992 and dispersed over Warsaw and Dęblin.Decorations
* Distinguished Flying Cross
*Distinguished Service Order (with Bar)
*Croix de Guerre
*Virtuti Militari (Golden Cross)
*Virtuti Militari (Silver Cross)References
* [http://pspbis.fm.interia.pl/ag.htm Short biography]
* [http://www.psr.netfriend.org/mysliwcy/ksiega/test.php?litera=G extended biographical note at Myśliwcy web page]
* [http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/AARG/gabszewicz.html Aleksander K. Gabszewicz]
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