In a message to the HyperScale Discussion Group, NJIPMS member Mike
Dobrzelecki wrote:
I just got off the phone with his daughter, Linda. Apparently, he suffered a
heart attack last weekend, but did not really know it at the time. By Tuesday he
told his family that he was feeling so bad that he needed to go to the hospital
and he passed away at a hospital in Huntington.
If it's any consolation, his family said that he wanted to go quick and not
suffer during a protracted period. They said he went they way he wanted to go.
The funeral will be Wednesday at St Matthews. The wake is at the Mangano Funeral
Home, 1701 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park, NY 11729, Tel# 631-586-3600. Call to verify
address, etc.
I first met Gabby back in 1981 at the IPMS Nats in NYC. He was an honored guest
at the Intrepid Museum at the opening of a couple of exhibits that I coordinated
for the Intrepid, including the "Poland Invaded" Exhibit in 1989, the
first in the series of exhibits marking the 50th Anniversary of WWII. He also
attended the opening of the Polish Air Force exhibit at the Mighty Eighth Air
Force Heritage Museum in Savannah, GA. The last time I saw him was at the IPMS
Nats in Chicago last July. I was just putting the finishing touches on an
exhibit dedicated solely to Gabreski at the Polish Military Museum in America in
Manhattan. The original opening date in September 2001 was delayed because of
the WTC disaster. Regretfully, he did not live to see the finished exhibit, but
did see the drafts. The 1/32nd scale model of his P-47D-25RE I built for exhibit
can be seen in Hyperscale's Feature Articles. My brother, Ron, built his F-86E
and Gary Boyd built a Spitfire Mk.V, as flown by Gabby while on attached service
with the Polish 316 Squadron in December 1942 and January 1943.
Ironically, Gabby related to Steve Rasiej - President of the Polish Air Force
Association - last week that he was feeling better and was looking forward to
attending the opening of my exhibit. I have been privileged to have known many heroes
over the years as a result of my work with various museums over the past 21
years, but Gabby was truly
a giant among heroes. I mourn his passing and will miss him terribly.
Mike Dobrzelecki
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This is Mike's account of Col. Gabreski's funeral on February 6:
Family and friends started gathering around 9:15am
at the Mangano Funeral Home on Deer Park Ave much the same as at
countless other ordinary funerals. The seven Suffolk County
Harleys and half a dozen cruisers, however, were clear sign that this
was going to be anything but an ordinary funeral. We had assembled to pay our last respects to one America's
giants from the "Greatest Generation" - Colonel Francis
S.Gabreski - the top scoring USAAF Ace in the ETO and a Mig Ace, to
boot, with 6.5 of the little red bastards
"stenciled" on his official records from Korea. The motorcycle
cops were bundled against the chill wind, but the sun shone bright and
clear with unlimited visibility - good flying weather for Gabby's
"Last Flight".
His daughter-in-law, Terry, although diminutive in stature, stood
"tall" in her full dress USAF uniform sporting the one star
denoting her rank as a general. Her husband was none other than Don
Gabreski, recently retired, himself, from the USAF as a Colonel ( once
again, the wife outranked the husband ). Don was an F-4 driver,
originally, then moved onto to F-16's. He stated it was a little like
transitioning from driving a 60's vintage Cadillac to a Ferarri. Another
Gabreski offspring, Robert, also retired recently from the USAF ( see a
pattern here ?)where he flew AC-130 Spectre gunships. Robert particpated
in many of the post-Vietnam applications of this uniquely devastating
piece of aerial hardware, having resurfaced various portions of Grenada,
Panama and Saddam Hussein's hapless minions during the Gulf War. Yes,
Gabby had his nice big Polish family gathered around him - 9 kids, 18
grandkids, 4 great-grandchildren and at least one of his two surviving
sisters. Coming from a large Polish family myself ( my mom had 11
brothers and sisters, I felt right at home.
The church service was held at St.Matthews in Dix Hills on Long Island -
Gabby's church. Gabby was a devout religious man, saying his rosary
everyday and attending Mass several times during the week. It must have
paid off - he lived through so much. Three of His children spoke at the
services and the pastor made special mention that of all Gabby's honors and
achievements, it was his personal relationship with God that was his
most notable. ABC and CBS covered it all.
The funeral cortege assembled and Suffolk County's bravest went into
full gear and executed the operation with military efficiency. I
wondered about how they were going to handle the procession which was
strung out about 3 miles long or better. My eyes went wide as saucers as
they SHUT DOWN I-495, THE major 8 lane highway which runs the length of
Long Island - in word, "Wow" -if anybody rated that, it was
Gabby. Once we arrived at Calverton National Cemetary about 17 miles
away, the full military pageant revealed itself, with an honor guard and
firing detail from McGuire AFB in Jersey, where my brother Ron is stationed.
USAF, and Marine brass were everywhere - the most generals I saw in one
spot. A PT-17 Stearman, like the type Gabby struggled with as a cadet,
did lazy loops on the outskirts.
After taps and the gun salute, four F-15E Strike Eagles from 4th FW out
of Seymour Johnson AFB, NC flew in on a diagonal to the the cemetary.
The leader executed a perfect missing-man maneuver, spiraling up and
pushing over, with the team reassembling like the pro's they are - if
anyone rated that expensive heavy-metal, it's Gabby. As a final
act, family and friends lined up to place a flower on Gabby's coffin. After the family passed, I notice a familiar
face in the queue - General Mike Jackson - one of Gabby's fellow 56th Fighter Group members and a famous pilot in
his own right - if anybody rated this type of personal send-off, its
Gabby.
Family and close friends then retired down I-495, sans escort this time,
to relax with a drink and some sustenance, and to reminisce and tell
"Gabby" stories. The place - the 56th Fighter Group restaurant on Route 110 near
Fairchild and Grumman's old locations on Long Island and the airfield
named after Gabby- if anyone ever deserved as perfect a send-off as this
- it was Gabby. I mourn his passing and I'll miss him terribly.
Mike Dobrzelecki
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