12 Facts About Witold Urbanowicz

Witold Urbanowicz was a Polish fighter ace of the Second World War.

Witold Urbanowicz was awarded with several decorations, among others the Virtuti Militari and British Distinguished Flying Cross.

Witold Urbanowicz was then posted to the night bomber squadron of the 1st Air Regiment in Warsaw.

Witold Urbanowicz was officially reprimanded and unofficially congratulated by his superior officer and as "punishment" in October 1936 he was transferred to an air force training school in Deblin where he was nicknamed "Cobra".

Witold Urbanowicz was ordered with the cadets to Romania, where they were told to await re-equipment: British and French aircraft were rumoured to have been sent, but no aircraft arrived.

Witold Urbanowicz returned to Poland to continue to fight, but after the Soviet invasion of Poland, he was captured by a Soviet irregular unit.

On 18 September 1940 Witold Urbanowicz was awarded the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari by the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Forces, General Sikorski.

In September 1943 Witold Urbanowicz joined the USAAF 14th Air Force on attachment in China.

Witold Urbanowicz was later awarded the US Air Medal and a Chinese Flying Cross.

Witold Urbanowicz lived in New York City working for American Airlines, Eastern Airlines and Republic Aviation, retiring in 1973.

Witold Urbanowicz died in New York on 17 August 1996.

Witold Urbanowicz was portrayed by Marcin Dorocinski in the 2018 film Hurricane: 303 Squadron.