Background
Godlewski was born in Chicago in a family of Polish emigrants.
Godlewski was born in Chicago in a family of Polish emigrants.
He served as an air gunner in the Number. 305 Polish Bomber Squadron. In 1942, he volunteered to the Polish Air Force and arrived in the United Kingdom via Canada.
From May to June 1942 he trained as air-gunner.
On 1 August 1942, he was sent to the Number. 18 Operational Training Unit (18 OTU) where he joined the crew of Kazimierz Artymiuk.
On 1 January 1943 the crew was assigned to the Number. 305 Bomber Squadron. Godlewski flew for the first time over occupied France on 26 January.
During his 9th bomber raid, on the night of 5 March over Essen his Vickers Wellington was attacked by German night-fighters.
As a tail gunner, Godlewski shooting on ennemies, gave instructions to the pilot, how to avoid Messerschmitts. He was badly wounded on both arms and transported to the hospital in Bishop"s Stortford where his arms were amputated. After leaving the hospital, Godlewski stayed in the United Kingdom until the end of 1943, participating in meetings with volunteers and soldiers.
His story was made famous by journalists on both sides of the ocean.
They mainly pointed out his sacrifice for the country he has never seen. Polish Americans organized a fundraiser for him.
Thanks to the collected money, Godlewski became owner of two bars run by his mother. In later years, he lived in California and Florida, where he died in 1989.