| THE KOSCIUSZKO SQUADRON |
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It is not a coincidence that the emblem of the Kosciuszko Squadron bears the American Stars and Stripes. The Squadron was formed in 1919 by a group of Americans, led by Merian C. Cooper, who volunteered to fight with the Polish army in the Russian-Polish War (1919-1920) This insignia was designed by one of it's members, Elliot Chess, and features a red four-cornered military hat (that was worn by Kosciuszko ( in the 1794 uprising in the American colonies), superimposed on two scythes crossed diagonally ( to represent the peasants who fought with him ), on top of a background of the red, white and blue Stars and Stripes of the American flag. This emblem was painted on each plane, and christened the Kosciuszko Squadron. A most fitting tribute to the indelible bond between the American and the Polish nations. The rallying cry of the American colonists had stirred the hearts of the Poles, as they were also struggling against tyranny in their own homeland. Over 100 Polish men crossed the Atlantic to join the Americans in the battle against British supremacy. Among them were two Polish officers who were destined to leave their mark on American history. Kazmierz Pulaski was a high ranking cavalry officer who was exiled from Poland in 1776 because of his frequent attempts to lead uprisings against the occupiers. In Paris, he met Benjamin Franklin and was recruited among others to George Washington's Continental Army. Pulaski's fame preceded him. He was reknown throughout Europe for his bravery and his expertise in guerilla warfare. This so impressed Franklin that he advised Washington of Pulaski's exceptional qualities, and as a result, Pulaski was put in charge of organizing and commanding American's first calvalry brigade. Pulaski and his men fought under the command of Colonel John Cooper. But in battle, a stray bullet hit Pulaski, and Cooper carried his wounded comrade and friend to safety on board an American warship. He died two days later and was buried at sea. The second officer, Tadeusz Kosciusko, was also a brilliant military strategist. He was able to incorporate the natural terrain of the land as a lure to entrap the enemy. In this way they were easily surrounded and defeated by a much smaller number of soldiers. His numerous victories did not go unnoticed. In 1783, the US Continental Congress awarded Kosciusko with US citizenship, a pension, title to vast areas of land, and the rank of Brigadier-General. But the following year, Kosciusko returned to Poland to continue to fight for her freedom. These stories and many others about the bravery of Polish fighters were passed down from generation to generation from Colonel Cooper all the way to Merian Cooper, his great-great-grandson. Since Charles Lindbergh made his solo non-stop trans-atlantic flight from Long Island to Paris in 1927, the world became enamored by pilots and aviation. No less captivated were the young Polish men who dreamt of embarking on exciting adventures. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Polish Air Force Academy at Deblin was swamped with applicants. In 1936, of 6,000 hopefuls only 90 were chosen to be trained as pilots. Among them were the sons of peasants, teachers, miners, and wealthy landowners. These young men were to become the heroes of World War II. They were a cut above the rest, not only for their flying skills but in exhibiting a combination of qualities never seen before - chivalry, dynamism, and justice. Their off-duty escapades were nothing short of amazing. They flew under bridges, between church steeples, and sometimes swooped down to startle a group of cavalry officers below. This Polish daring came naturally to them as did their propensity to disobey orders. However, the latter quality proved to be a distinct advantage in the heat of battle. The British were sticklers for strict discipline but lacked a sense of timing. They always went by the book, which often resulted in missed opportunities, or worse yet, fatal consequences. The Three Musketeers, as they were called, Zumbach, Feric, and Lokuciewski, graduated from the Academy at the top of their class and went on to fight many battles including the Battle of Britain. Their aerial exploits were already legendary when they reported for duty in England. The RAF was suffering from a disastrous shortage of pilots, yet they wasted too much time putting these Polish aces "in training", doubtful that they had the ability to fly combat missions. These Polish airmen - and oh, how they could fly, had the ability to "scan the sky", and " to look everywhere". According to American and British pilots who flew with them, the Poles could see the whole sky "better than anyone else", a definite asset in aerial combat! The Poles were brilliant and inventive. They devised new strategies for air combat which have since been incorporated by the RAF and other air forces. One technique called for the planes to fly in close formation, wing-tip to wing-tip, then turn away and charge at a third plane at break-neck speed veering off just a split second before impact. This technique bore every resemblance to that used by any cavalry officer charging the enemy on his steed. It's purpose was to crowd and intimidate the enemy and make him flinch or retreat. Equally effective were tactics whereby Polish fighters would fire at the enemy at close range, then come round again and fire at point blank range. Poles carried out these maneuvers with cool and deadly reserve, and succeeded at completely unnerving German pilots. Another tactic involved low-level flying, where the pilot would approach the target at such a low altitude so as not to be seen by the enemy until the plane suddenly pops out from behind a tree or a building. Before the Germans had a chance to react, they were gunned down. But the most successful ploy was called the "Circus". British bombers would agree to be used as bait, in broad daylight, to lure German Messerschmidts " into a destructive web created by the bombers' Spitfire escorts ". In a period of six weeks Polish fighters racked up 46 kills using this trap alone. In the first week of the Battle of Britain, the Polish airmen scored an amazing number of hits, but British Command would not believe it, even though it was confirmed by the British squadron leader. Still not convinced, Stanley Vincent, the Station Commander, followed the Kosciuszko Squadron on an air raid, and he was amazed by what he saw. The Polish aces attacked the German planes from a vertical trajectory " with near suicidal impetus ". German formations quickly scattered making it easy for the Poles to pick them off one by one. " The air was full of burning aircraft, parachutes and pieces of disintegrating wings. It was also so rapid that is was staggering." |
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