Jozef Jeka

Background

Józef Jeka was born in Tupadły (present-day it is part of the town Władysławowo). He was the son of Antoni and Agata Mudlaff.

Career

Early years

Józef"s father was a Polish independence activist. Two Józef"s brothers, Alfons and Stanisław belonged to the Pomeranian Griffin. On 1 August 1937 Józef Jeka entered the Non-Commissioned Officer"s School for minors.

Then he participated in a course in aircraft maintenance.

After completing his flying training and then a fighter pilot course, he was assigned to Polish 141st Fighter Escadrille. World World War II

During the September Campaign Jeka flew a PZL P.11.

After the Soviet invasion of Poland he crossed the border with Romania, where he was interned. He escaped to France via Yugoslavia and Greece, on 23 October he arrived in Marseilles.

On 23 February 1940 he came to England.

After training in Blackpool and Carlisle Jeka was sent to Number. 238 Squadron Royal Air Force. He shot down his first plane on 15 September 1940. He became an ace on 7 October when he downed a Ju 88 (it was his 5th victory).

On 5 October Jeka himself was shot down and wounded.

He was hospitalized till 15 November in Shaftesbury. From 15 November 1940 to 15 December 1941 he flew in Number.

306 Polish Fighter Squadron and destroyed two Bf 109. From December 1941 to March 1942 Jeka was an instructor in Number.

58 Operational Training Unit based at Royal Air Force Grangemouth.

He came back to his squadron on 25 May 1942. On 9 December 1942 he enterred officers school. Named porucznik he was ordered to Number.

308 (Polish) Squadron, he also served in Number.

316 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 21 May 1944 Jeka was hit by flak over France and had to jump with a parachute.

Fortunately he managed to hide thanks to the French Resistance. Two months after the front reached his place of residence and Jeka returned to his unit

On 25 May 1945 he became commander of the 306 squadron.

On 31 December 1949 Jeka ended his service in the Polish Air Force. Cold War

After the war ended Jeka stayed in the Royal Air Force and served in Germany as a soldier of the occupation forces. In Germany he received an offer to work for the Central Intelligence Agency, Jeka willingly accepted as an avowed anti-communist.

Since 1950 he collaborated with British and American intelligence, he flight-tested the aircraft U-2 and completed missions over Central and Eastern Europe.

He was considered as a candidate to steal a soviet Mig 15. The mission was cancelled, when on 5 March 1953, an other polish pilot Franciszek Jarecki landed his mig on Bornholm.

In the 1950s Jeka took part in the indonesian conflict where he died in an aircraft crash, flying a B-26B, on 13 April 1958. Polish Air Force

szeregowy - 1 August 1937

starszy szeregowy - 1 April 1938

kapral - 30 June 1939

plutonowy - 15 October 1941

podporucznik - 1 November 1941

porucznik - 1 March 1943

kapitan - 1 January 1946

major - 15 August 1947

Royal Air Force

Sergeant - 15 August 1940

Pilot Officer - 1 November 1941

Flying Officer - 1 October 1942

Flight Lieutenant - 1 November 1943

Squadron Leader - 25 May 1945.

Achievements

• Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross Cross of Valour (Poland), four times Cross of Merit with Swords (Poland) Distinguished Flying Medal 1939–1945 Star France and Germany Star Defence Medal (United Kingdom) War Medal 1939–1945 Air Force Medal for War 1939-1945 (Poland).