Eagle Biography
Witold A. Urbanowicz
Witold A. Urbanowicz, Poland's leading ace in World War II, flew combat with the Polish
Air Force, the Royal Air Force, and the US Army Air Corps in China. Born in 1908, he grew
up under Russian occupation in eastern Poland. He was commissioned in the air force in
1930 and saw his first combat in 1936 when he destroyed a Russian reconnaissance aircraft
over free Poland. After Germany invaded his homeland in September 1939, Urbanowicz flew
PZL-11 fighters against the Luftwaffe.
Before his country fell to the Germans, he led 50
cadets overland to England where they continued their fight for freedom. He flew Hawker
Hurricanes with the Royal Air Force and ultimately commanded the all-Polish No.
303 "Kosciuszko" Squadron, and the No. 1 Polish Fighter Wing. During the Battle
of Britain, his unit led all RAF Squadrons with 126 victories--Urbanowicz's personal
record was 17. In December 1942, he was assigned as Assistant Polish Air Attaché in
Washington, D.C., where he met General Claire Chennault, Commander of the Fourteenth Air
Force.
After considerable effort, he persuaded General Chennault to accept the services
of his "one man air force" to fly combat with the Americans in China. Flying
Curtiss P-40s for 5 months, he downed three Japanese aircraft and destroyed eight more
planes on the ground. In mid-1944, Urbanowicz returned to England and flew Spitfires
and P-51 Mustangs in support of Allied forces advancing against Germany.
Colonel Urbanowicz's many decorations include the Virtuti Militari--Poland's
highest order for gallantry.
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| 1983
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During the Battle of Britain, Witold Urbanowicz's Hurricane carried the inscription, "We do not beg for freedom, we fight for it." This spirit was aptly demonstrated on 30 September 1940 when he led his all-Polish squadron against some 30 German bombers over southern England. After breaking up the enemy formation, he began to stalk a bomber he had previously damaged. But, before he could train his guns on the bomber, two Me-109 fighter escorts diverted his attention. He immediately engaged the enemy fighters and soon downed both of them. Urbanowicz then continued his attack on the bomber to finish his day with three victories.
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