Emil F. Ostrowski was born on June 2, 1921, in South River, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was the son of Adolph and Lucy Ostrowski. He graduated from Plainfield High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 30, 1942, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his civilian occupation was listed as a semi-skilled mechanic and repairman. He trained at Maxwell Field, Bennettsville, and Shaw Fields in South Carolina, and was commissioned in November 1943 at Turner Field in Albany, Georgia. He served in the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomber Group, Medium, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-pilot of B-26 Marauder #42-96263 based at Station No. 161 in Boreham, Essex, during World War II. The Group earned the nickname “Bridge Busters” for its precision strikes against bridges, gun emplacements, fuel depots, and transportation targets.

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, his aircraft was part of a group departing for a mission when it collided midair with another B-26 (serial 42-96050) over Gillingham, Kent, England, at 5:05 a.m. in poor weather conditions. His aircraft crashed into an orchard at East Court Farm, Gillingham, and all crew members were killed. He is remembered as one of the American airmen who lost their lives on D-Day, not in combat, but while preparing to support the invasion efforts from the air.

2Lt Ostrowski is now buried in the Richmond National Cemetery, Virginia, in a common grave alongside SSgt James F. Bechtler and Sgt Boris Salimsky.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, gillinghambattleb26crash.weebly.com