Michael C. Doroski of Ventura, Calif., formerly of Cutchogue, died on Jan. 4 at age 84 after a brief illness. Mr. Doroski was born in Cutchogue on Dec. 3, 1920, to Michael and Mary Doroski. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps at age 18 and became a pilot with the 100th Bomb Group, 350th Bomb Squadron, during World War II. Stationed in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, he later flew missions over Germany. Capt. Doroski's plane was shot down by a German aircraft on Aug. 17, 1943, and he was captured. He was liberated from Stalag Luft III, 90 miles from Berlin, by Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army on April 29, 1945. A book he wrote about his war experiences, "More Lives than a Cat," was published in 1986. Mr. Doroski had been a general building contractor and owned M.C. Doroski Construction in Cambria, Calif., before moving to Colorado Springs, Colo. He had resided in Ventura for three years before his death. He was member of many veterans' organizations, including the American Legion, Ex-Prisoners of War-National, Disabled Veterans of America and the U.S. Air Force Academy Honor Court of Colorado Springs, and was a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International. Mr. Doroski's brother, Theodore, of Cutchogue, said he was also a member of the Caterpillar Club, named for the silk parachutes that saved the lives of many Air Corps members. A family statement notes that Mr. Doroski was proud of having served his country during the war and that he was "a kind and loving man, and an optimist who never let hardships get him down." Besides his brother, Mr. Doroski is survived by his wife, Roberta, of Ventura; two sisters, Helen Graygor of Neptune, N.J., and Martha Carroll of Amityville; two sons, Michael Jr., of Cambria, and Stephen, of Paso Robles, Calif.; a stepson, Stephen Kauffman of Indian Wells, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Linda Johnson of Ventura; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by four brothers, Martin, Felix, Frank and John. A funeral service was held in Ventura on Jan. 15. Interment was at Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, Calif., with military honors.

Suffolk Times 1/27/05.