Sources are his website, the book, "The Bomber Boys", Ohio Marriage records and his Obituary.
Paul Spodar was born in Cleveland Ohio. His parents were Mike and Stella [Zanko] Spodar. Known siblings are Emil and Edward.
He was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on October 24, 1942. He did his basic training in Atlantic City N.J., Gunnery school in Ft. Myers Florida and Armament school at Lowery Field Colorado. After several other camps, Staff Sergeant Paul Spodar and his fellow crewmates were transferred to Grafton Underwood England where they joined the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron.
Sgt. Spodar was a waist gunner in B17 Flying Fortress bombers. He flew 5 missions. One plane, 42-30043, “Ruthless” was damaged on the mission and ditched at sea. The crew was rescued by British Navy ships.
The 5th mission, was in 42-29870 “Big Moose”, October 14, 1943 – a bombing raid of the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt Germany. The plane was shot down. The crew bailed out in the Alsace- Lorraine region, where they were captured. They spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 17B. They were liberated by American troops in May 1945.
He married Anne Sheyke on September 24, 1949.
After the war he joined the Cleveland Fire Department, where he served until his retirement in 1978.
Contributor: Harry Alexander (49232697) • [email protected])
Paul Spodar was born in Cleveland Ohio. His parents were Mike and Stella [Zanko] Spodar. Known siblings are Emil and Edward.
He was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on October 24, 1942. He did his basic training in Atlantic City N.J., Gunnery school in Ft. Myers Florida and Armament school at Lowery Field Colorado. After several other camps, Staff Sergeant Paul Spodar and his fellow crewmates were transferred to Grafton Underwood England where they joined the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron.
Sgt. Spodar was a waist gunner in B17 Flying Fortress bombers. He flew 5 missions. One plane, 42-30043, “Ruthless” was damaged on the mission and ditched at sea. The crew was rescued by British Navy ships.
The 5th mission, was in 42-29870 “Big Moose”, October 14, 1943 – a bombing raid of the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt Germany. The plane was shot down. The crew bailed out in the Alsace- Lorraine region, where they were captured. They spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 17B. They were liberated by American troops in May 1945.
He married Anne Sheyke on September 24, 1949.
After the war he joined the Cleveland Fire Department, where he served until his retirement in 1978.
Contributor: Harry Alexander (49232697) • [email protected])
Sources are his website, the book, "The Bomber Boys", Ohio Marriage records and his Obituary.
Paul Spodar was born in Cleveland Ohio. His parents were Mike and Stella [Zanko] Spodar. Known siblings are Emil and Edward.
He was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on October 24, 1942. He did his basic training in Atlantic City N.J., Gunnery school in Ft. Myers Florida and Armament school at Lowery Field Colorado. After several other camps, Staff Sergeant Paul Spodar and his fellow crewmates were transferred to Grafton Underwood England where they joined the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron.
Sgt. Spodar was a waist gunner in B17 Flying Fortress bombers. He flew 5 missions. One plane, 42-30043, “Ruthless” was damaged on the mission and ditched at sea. The crew was rescued by British Navy ships.
The 5th mission, was in 42-29870 “Big Moose”, October 14, 1943 – a bombing raid of the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt Germany. The plane was shot down. The crew bailed out in the Alsace- Lorraine region, where they were captured. They spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 17B. They were liberated by American troops in May 1945.
He married Anne Sheyke on September 24, 1949.
After the war he joined the Cleveland Fire Department, where he served until his retirement in 1978.
Contributor: Harry Alexander (49232697) • [email protected])
Paul Spodar was born in Cleveland Ohio. His parents were Mike and Stella [Zanko] Spodar. Known siblings are Emil and Edward.
He was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on October 24, 1942. He did his basic training in Atlantic City N.J., Gunnery school in Ft. Myers Florida and Armament school at Lowery Field Colorado. After several other camps, Staff Sergeant Paul Spodar and his fellow crewmates were transferred to Grafton Underwood England where they joined the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron.
Sgt. Spodar was a waist gunner in B17 Flying Fortress bombers. He flew 5 missions. One plane, 42-30043, “Ruthless” was damaged on the mission and ditched at sea. The crew was rescued by British Navy ships.
The 5th mission, was in 42-29870 “Big Moose”, October 14, 1943 – a bombing raid of the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt Germany. The plane was shot down. The crew bailed out in the Alsace- Lorraine region, where they were captured. They spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 17B. They were liberated by American troops in May 1945.
He married Anne Sheyke on September 24, 1949.
After the war he joined the Cleveland Fire Department, where he served until his retirement in 1978.
Contributor: Harry Alexander (49232697) • [email protected])
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