Andrew Peter Uditsky was born on October 20, 1920, in Belleville, Essex County, New Jersey. He was the son of Polish immigrants John Uditsky and Apolonia "Pauline" (nee Slavindky) Uditsky, of East Orange, New Jersey. His actual name was Andrew Peter Judycki. When Frank, his oldest brother started school, the teacher spelled his name as Uditsky, which she said was the English way of writing Juditsky. The rest of the family have used this name ever since.
Andrew graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1940 and worked as an assembler. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in Montreal, Canada, on September 29, 1941. At the time of his death, Andrew was serving as a Flight Sergeant in the 166 (R.A.F.) Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He was Killed in Action on May 5, 1943, aboard Wellington Mk. X serial number HE.923 AS-R, on a bombing mission in Dortmund, Germany. The operation was carried out in conditions of very good visibility. Very heavy and intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered over the target area, and large cones of searchlights were a predominant feature of the defenses. It is believed that they were hit by flak and finished off by night fighters. The airplane was certainly attacked by Oberfeldwebel Karl-Heinz Scherfling of 10./NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 G-4 from the Luftwaffe airbase in Leeuwarden.
The airplane was shot at several times, causing fire to break out. It could climb to a higher altitude, but a searchlight caught it, and it could be observed going straight down, burning intensely, and crashing near a farm north of the road from Vlagtwedde to Bourtange.
The aircraft was shot down on its first mission.
Crewmembers:
Flt Sgt Andrew Peter Uditsky, RCAF, Pilot (R135043)
Flt Sgt John Theo Macksimchuck, RCAF, Navigator (R110747)
Flt Sgt Ernest Nixon Moore, RCAF, Air Bomber (R138918)
Flt Sgt George Ernest Armstrong, RCAF, Air Gunner (R125223)
Sgt Thomas Alexander Stuart Buchanan, RAF, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (1123751)
The entire crew was killed. According to the police report, the remains of the crew members were badly burned. They were buried in a common grave.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com