Eugene S. Budzbanowski was born on June 16, 1921 in Wisconsin. He resided in Cook County, Illinois prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on October 1, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents. Eugene served as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on B-17G #42-107076, 563rd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-17G #42-107076 took off from RAF Knettishall with a target of the Focke-Wulf Aircraft factory at Poznan, Poland. While on this mission they were hit by enemy flak and severely damaged. Eugene was "Killed In Action" when his B-17 crashed, due to the damage, into the Baltic Sea seven miles Southeast of Nykobing, near Boto, Denmark during the war. His date of passing on his headstone is a mystery. All military notes indicate that he was killed on April 9, 1944 along with the rest of the crew. Possibly he died of wounds at a later time, however, military records don't note this happening. Also, possibly, it was the date his remains were found. He is now buried in the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois, USA. Eugene was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com