Today, ceremonies were held to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the death of Sergeant Alvin J. Ellin, who was shot after parachuting from a damaged American bomber returning from a raid on Blachownia and the chemical factories there. German bullets struck the sergeant while he was still in the air, making it a war crime—he had no chance to fight or surrender.
He was buried on October 19, 1944, by the fence next to the chapel at the Jawiszowice cemetery. After the liberation on October 21, 1945, his remains were moved and formally reburied in the proper grave, then still as an unknown airman. He was exhumed again on October 18, 1947, and his remains, now identified as Sergeant Alvin J. Ellin, were taken by representatives of the United States Army to an American military cemetery.
At the time of his death, this airman was 19 years old and served as a tail gunner in the American B-17 Flying Fortress. Of the ten-man crew that parachuted out over Jawiszowice, he was the only one who perished. Eight were captured, and one, thanks to the help of local residents and soldiers from the Home Army, returned to his unit in Italy.
The aircraft shot down over Jawiszowice by a German Flak battery stationed in Przecieszyn was a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress named St. Francis.
Today’s ceremonies were organized by the History Club students from School Complex No. 6 in Jawiszowice, Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński Primary School. They attended the event along with their teachers, Ms. Jadwiga Ignatiuk-Grzywa and Ms. Barbara Fender, who have been supervising the club. The club has also participated in the renovation of the “Unknown American Airman” monument, which they have cared for for years.
Additionally, the ceremonies were attended by a representative of Beata Szydło’s parliamentary office, the Brzeszcze Municipal authorities led by the Mayor, municipal councilors of Brzeszcze, representatives of the Jawiszowice village council, and non-governmental organizations.
What impact can we, as adults and representatives of various institutions and organizations, have without the youth? What would our efforts to preserve historical heritage, care for Places of Remembrance, and commemorate anniversaries like today’s amount to? It is only thanks to the engagement of the young people from the school in Jawiszowice, who wanted and still want to take care of such places and learn about this more tangible history, that everything makes sense. We can only provide them with a platform so that in the future, as adults, they can take over what we manage to preserve from our history, preventing it from fading into oblivion. And for this willingness and youthful enthusiasm, we thank them!
The student project “American Wings in Polish Skies” can be viewed at the following link.
