Remembering America’s World War II Ace

This January, 2001 photo shows U.S. Air Ace Col. Francis S. Gabreski (left), at the annual post-Christmas observance (Oplatek) the Downstate New York Division of the Polish American Congress held at the Polonaise Terrace in Brooklyn. The Congress used the occasion to also celebrate the late Col. Gabreski’s 82nd birthday. Pictured with him are: PAC President Frank Milewski (center) and Vice President Chet Szarejko. Brooklyn, N.Y. .. The Downstate New York Division of the Polish American Congress announced it will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, Long Island on Sunday, January 29th at 1:00 p.m. to honor the memory of America’s top World War II Air Ace in Europe for whom the airport is named. It will mark the 10th anniversary of his death in 2002.