John Kraynyak
 S/SGT John Kraynyak, Jr. 15th Air Force 301st Bombardment Group 419th Bombardment Squadron Stationed at Lucera, Italy March 1944-October 1944
John Kraynyak, Jr. was an Honor Graduate of the Armament School, Lowry Field, Colorado. While there he was selected as an Armament Officer Candidate. He went on and completed Aerial Gunnery School in Kingman, Arizona. In early 1944, while at Drew Army Air Field near Tampa Florida, he was assigned to Air Crew 165-159 as a Waist Gunner, that was commanded by Capt. Eugene Stanley Mathews of Cleveland, Ohio. Crew #165-159 was assigned B-17G #232105 one of six B-17Gs to receive special training in AZON "Azimuth Only" bombing techniques in late 1943-early 1944 at McDill Field in Tampa Florida. B-17G, serial #232105, christened the "Wolf Shack", was specially modified with AZON equipment at Orlando, Florida. The nose art and tail art (the only B-17 in the 419th squadron with tail art) was done by T/SGT Maurice A. Wood, a Radio Operator/Gunner from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. T/SGT Wood painted the B-17 in the United States prior to taking the aircraft to Italy. The "Wolf Shack" crew, B-17G, #165-159 was:
Pilot - Eugene Stanley Mathews Cleveland, OH
Co-Pilot Mark P. Autry Dallas, TX
Navigator Paul Gerhart Lancaster, PA
Bombardier Joseph Epstein Chicago, IL
Engineer Thomas Coletti Brooklyn, NY
Radio Operator Maurice Woods Oklahoma City, OK
Ball Turret Mack Blomquist Itasca County, MN
Tail Gunner Guy L. Davis Old Hickory, TN
Waist Gunner Chester Cremeen Omaha, NE
Waist Gunner John Kraynyak, Jr. Philadelphia, PA
Several former AZON trained crew members are listed in this roster.
By late February 1944, after the crews completed AZON training they departed with their newly modified B-17Gs via the "Southern Route" (Brazil, Natal, etc.) to join the 419th squadron with the 301st BG at its base between Lucera and Foggia, Italy in early March 1944. The first AZON mission took place on 17 April 1944. This mission experimented with the AZON bombing technique under combat conditions. The targets were railroad bridges between Ancona and Rimini, Italy. On this mission, three B-17s in trail, were escorted by P-38s. The FLAK on the target was low and inaccurate. However, fifteen minutes after the P-38 escort had left, the three B-17s were attacked by 22 FW-190 fighters for over twenty minutes. "Poontang", one of the B-17Gs on this mission returned with 67 holes. Eventually the AZON training "paid off" with good results at the Avisio Viaduct in Italy on 13 May 1944; The Vado railroad bridge in Italy on 5 June 1944; The Szolnok railroad bridge in Hungary on 2 July 1944; The Avisio Viaduct in Italy on 6 July 1944. All of these targets were bridges and the results were pretty good. Commendations were received on some of the above missions.
S/SGT Kraynyak flew 35 missions as Waist Gunner. However, in late July 1944, with mounting losses and reassignments of AZON trained Bombardiers to 12th AF B-25s, the 419th squadron had difficulty meeting crew needs for Bombardiers. Consequently, promising enlisted men were asked to assume Bombardier roles with guarantees of training on the bombsight and related procedures. Special awards, conditions and an upgrade in enlisted rank to Master Sergeant were promised as enticements. Also, upon successful completion of the required tour of duty, recommendations would be written for admission to Officer Training Schools.
S/SGT Kraynyak accepted this challenge, and Bombardier training commenced immediately under the guidance of the squadron bombardier, 1st Lt. George B. Rader. With pressures to meet crew needs and as one of the most promising candidates, he was asked to fly as a Bombardier with only three days training! Throughout it all, he was reassured that the rewards for volunteering would be forthcoming.
On July 27, 1944, S/SGT Kraynyak flew his first mission as a Bombardier/Toggelier to the Manfried Weiss Armament Factory in Budapest, Hungary. As he was huddled over the bomb sight on the bomb run, and just after the bomb release, a burst of FLAK demolished the plexiglass nose, hurtled him over Navigator Engr, and against the bulkhead. He suffered a slight neck wound (saved by his FLAK suit), and first aid was rendered immediately by the Navigator Engr. Although the oxygen system was knocked out in the nose, he was able to move into the radio compartment for access to the oxygen outlet there. With the exception of Solomon, the Pilot, the mission was the first for the rest of the crew.
Upon his return from the mission over Budapest, S/SGT Kraynyak refused further medical attention. He continued to be available on a daily basis for Bombardier assignments, and completed his next six missions as a Bombardier. S/SGT Kraynyak finished with 51 credited missions. For volunteering as a Bombardier, he received letters of recommendation for admission to cadet training.
From April 17, 1944, and concluding on August 28, 1944, S/SGT Kraynyak completed a total of 38 combat operations, was credited with a total of 51 operational missions, and flew 268.40 hours of aerial combat. For meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight during the period 17 April 1944 through 24 August 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal with three oak-leaf clusters.
John changed his name to John M. Crane in 1950. He died on June 24, 1988, and his remains are buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, "The Punchbowl", in Hawaii.
The Loss of John Kraynyak's Buddy: S/Sgt Clifford A. Gustafson, ASN-17054878, 15th AF, 301st BG, 419th BS, August 24, 1944
S/Sgt Clifford A. Gustafson, #17054878 entered the service from Box 123, Route #1, Ault, Colorado. He was a good friend of Sgt. Kraynyak. His crew position was as a Tail Gunner. According to Sgt Kraynyak, he was a "True Airman". Sgt. Gustafson came to the 419th from an unknown B-24 outfit. He became qualified as a B-17 Tail Gunner.
Before he was declared Missing In Action , he was wounded over Austria when a 20 mm shell exploded in the tail section, peppering his back with shrapnel, severing nerves in his right arm, and leaving no sensation in some of his fingers. As a result of his injuries, he was offered a trip back to the United States. He refused the offer, opted to recuperate, and return to the 419th to complete his missions. For the wounds received in action against the enemy on 26 June 1944 over Austria, he was awarded the Purple Heart. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three Oak-Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
On 24 August 1944, the 301st BG was part of the 5th Bomb Wing attack of the Paradubice Aerodrome, Czechoslovakia, during which 158 bombers unloaded 381 tons of bombs. The twenty-six 301st B-17s receiving mission credit achieved good coverage with their bomb loads. Twenty miles northeast of Steyr, Austria the Group observed twenty FW-190s, two of which attacked the bombers. Overall, the 15th Air Force lost fourteen heavy bombers on August 24th, and logged one of its last high-claim days, 29 Luftwaffe claimed destroyed by the bombers, and ten claimed by the fighters.
From 22-24 August 1944, the Italian-based heavies lost 59 bombers and seven fighters, while it claimed 140 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed. The 301st's only loss for the day, however, was caused in an unusual way. 2nd Lt. Stanley A. Peterson's B-17, "Smiling Elsie" # 44-6364 caught fire over the Adriatic Sea after being hit by a 301st Gunner test-firing his .50s. 2nd Lt. Stanley A. Peterson ordered his crew to bail out over water, and he completed calls to Air Sea Rescue and attempted to ditch the aircraft in order to get rubber boats to the crew. Some parachutes were observed from the aircraft. While maneuvering for descent the aircraft was observed to explode. For his heroic actions on 24 August 1944, 2nd Lt. Stanley A. Peterson posthumously received the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with an Oak-Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
The crew of 2nd Lt. Stanley A. Peterson'sB-17, "Smiling Elsie" # 44-6364 who were killed on August 24, 1944 was: CURTIN, JOHN M - PFC 12139071 NY 24-Aug-44 EISENSTEIN, ALEX - 2nd LT O-2058368 IL 24-Aug-44 GUSTAFSON, CLIFFORD A - S/SGT 17054878 CO 24-Aug-44 PETERSON, STANLEY A - 2nd LT O-753813 IL 24-Aug-44 WHITE, FRANK J - S/SGT 33573243 PA 24-Aug-44
The surviving crew members of 2nd Lt. Stanley A. Peterson's B-17, "Smiling Elsie" # 44-6364 on August 24, 1944 were: EARL A.GUENTHER Co-Pilot - LUNDY SABATO PORTER JOHNSON
S/Sgt John Kraynyak Jr was assigned to the 301st BG 419th Squadron.
The following information on John Kraynyak is gathered and extracted from military records. We have many documents and copies of documents, including military award documents. It is from these documents that we have found this information on S/Sgt Kraynyak. These serviceman's records are nowhere near complete and we are always looking for more material. If you can help add to John Kraynyak's military record please contact us.
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Rank |
General Order |
Date |
Notes |
Award |
Ribbon & Device |
John Kraynyak |
Sgt |
1155 |
06/19/1944 |
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AM |
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John Kraynyak |
Sgt |
1158 |
06/19/1944 |
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AM/OLC |
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John Kraynyak |
S/Sgt |
2318 |
08/05/1944 |
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AM/2OLC |
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John Kraynyak |
S/Sgt |
3286 |
09/11/1944 |
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AM/3OLC |
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19 Jun 1944 15th AAF General Order # 1155 Air Medal 19 Jun 1944 15th AAF General Order # 1158 Air Medal/Oak Leaf Cluster 5 Aug 1944 15th AAF General Order # 2318 Air Medal/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters 11 Sept 1944 15th AAF General Order # 3286 Air Medal/ 3 Oak Leaf Clusters 5/2/1944 John is on a list of original crews and when they were assigned to the 419th Bomb Squadron of the 301st Bombardment Group. 19 Jun 1944 15th AAF General Order # 1155 Air Medal 19 Jun 1944 15th AAF General Order # 1158 Air Medal/Oak Leaf Cluster 5 Aug 1944 15th AAF General Order # 2318 Air Medal/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster 11 Sept 1944 15th AAF General Order # 3286 Air Medal/ 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Please contact us if you can assist with any biographical data, pictures or other information regarding the service and life of John Kraynyak.
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