Grave Site: 6.D.2

A standard Commonwealth Grave Commission (CWGC) inscribed gravestone.

Flying Officer Theodore Gorak was born in 1920 in Ohio. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served with the 103rd Bombing Squadron.  He was killed on a bombing run over Stettin (now Szeczin, Poland) on August 30, 1944.

His brother, Sergeant Ignatius Joseph Gorak (US Marine Corps), was killed on Guadalcanal in November 1943 while serving with the 2nd US Marine Raider Battalion; he was awarded the Silver Star for actions and is buried in the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery (Grave: C-11-45) in the Philippines.

From the CWGC Website:

FLYING OFFICER

THEODORE GORAK

Service Number: J/26415

Regiment & Unit/Ship: Royal Canadian Air Force,

103 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.

Additional Info:

Son of Joseph and Sophia Gorak. Of U.S.A.

Personal Inscription:

PRO DEO ET PATRIA

About the cemetery from the CWGC Website:

After the First World War, the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died in Poland as prisoners of war were gathered together in this cemetery. There are now 174 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. The majority of the 283 Second World War burials in the cemetery are those of airmen, many of whom died in bombing operations on Stettin (now Szeczin). Also buried here are those involved in the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3, Sagan (now Zagan), in March 1944, and others who died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, at Stalag VIIIC, Sagan, Stalag XXID at Poznan, Oflag XXIB (also known as Oflag 64) and Stalag XXIB, both at Schubin (now Szubin). 

FLYING OFFICER

T. GORAK

OF U.S.A

PILOT

ROYAL CANDIAN AIR FORCE

30 AUGUST 1944. AGE 24

PRO DEO ET PATRIA