Bazyli Chmaruk died at the age of 91 from a recent illness. He was a Avionics Scientist and War Hero. He was born in Potapowicze, Poland. In 1938 he graduated from a Polish Air Force Academy, in 1939 he was flying against advancing Germans. Shortly after he was captured by advancing Soviets, becoming a prisoner of war in a Soviet Concentration Camp. He was eventually released, transported to England, and flew 60 more missions, through the Special Duty Polish Squadron # 138. Returning from a Warsaw Uprising in 1944, his plane was shot down over Hungary, captured by the Hungarians, becoming a prisoner of war again for the second time. He was transferred to Germany, surviving the Nazi Death March for 700 miles, during the winter of 1944-1945. Eventually liberated by British Commandos. Bazyli was awarded the Polish Order Virtuti Militari Distinction. The (VM) Virtuti Militari Medal is the equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor, yet older version. As Poland fell behind the Iron Curtain, he was blacklisted by communist regimes and could not return to his homeland of Poland. He remained in England, becoming a licensed aircraft engineer and test pilot. In 1957, he plotted German commercial aviation flight paths, using Collins Radio Meters in a flying laboratory, which is still used today in modern aviation. In 1959, he joined Collins Radio International Division London, as an avionics System Engineer, to leading aircraft manufacturers and operators. He represented Collins in Paris, France, and Farnborough Air Shows. He set up Collins throughout Europe, and immigrated to the United States in 1966. He was an Avionics Troubleshooter and Autopilot Certification Expert. He installed the Autopilot on Air Force One, during the Nixon Administration. He traveled to Poland each year, since 1978. In 1994 he built a wonderful gravesite for his parents, near his childhood home, now located in Belarus as of Yalta Agreement. He was a member of the Polish Air Force Veterans Association of Chicago, the Warsaw '44 Club, the Caterpillar Club, Knights of Columbus, and the Elks Club. He is survived by: Two daughters, Helen Henric of Miami Beach, Florida, and Janine Morse of Huntsville, Alabama, and one son, Nicholas Chmaruk, of Kalona, Iowa, also six grandchildren.