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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => US Lookup Requests => Topic started by: STAN54 on Thursday 15 February 18 00:55 GMT (UK)
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Can someone see it they find any information on Irving Sanitsky please.
Irving was a crew member of WW2 RAF Halifax bomber which crashed in North Essex U.K. in 1943.
The aircraft came down killing all of the crew on 25th Febraury 1943 at a place called Ardleigh in Essex. This is just outside the U.K.'s oldest recorded town of Colchester.
Irving was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force serving in the RAF.
He was the son of Simon and Ida Sanitsky of Fall River, Massachusetts. He was aged 22.
His burial place is The Jewish section of the Norwich cemetery in Norfolk U.K. at grave No. 235
His DOB is 8th May 1920.
On a 6.10.1940 RCAF document it shows his NOK as an uncle called:
Simon Swartz living on Washburn Avenue, Portland, Maine;
His father:
Simon Sanitsky, living on Third Street, Chelsea, Massachusetts;
and his mother Ida Rose living on Walnut Street, Chelsea Massachusetts.
Many thanks if anyone can find out more.
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His birth record is here - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLGR-XS15
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Looks like he might have shown up on the 1940 census in both Massachusetts and New York.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4NR-5B3
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQP3-8N4
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Hi,
You can see his complete Canadian service file (with photo) through ancestry, no sub required.
Canada, WWII, Service Files of War Dead
https://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=9145
DB
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His parents' marriage record - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLGT-GZSY
Possible matches for his father's WWI & WWII draft registration cards:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZJM-YW4
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V12G-F7P
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Irving's mother applied for naturalization in 1938. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XGW9-VZD It looks like she was 10 Apr. 1895 in Fall River, Massachusetts, but because she married a foreign man prior a change in US law in 1922, she lost her US citizenship. It says she was living with her husband & 2 sons and her husband came to Boston in 1909.
It looks like this is a death record for Irving's brother Sawyer: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP2T-B8F
Sawyer enlisted in the US Army not long before the end of the war: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8LN-DFR
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Hi,
He is listed on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, came to Canada to enlist, Oct. 1, 1941
St. John, New Brunswick. His citations are listed, posthumously awarded RCAF Operational
wings in recognition of gallant service in action against the enemy.
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2764253?Irving%20Louis%20Sanitsky
DB
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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Monday, March 08, 1943 - Page 19
Following is the latest list, of casualties with next of kin:
OVERSEAS
Killed on Active Service
..............
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SANITSKY, Irving Louis, Sgt., Mrs. Simon Sanitsky (mother), 17007 33rd Avenue, Flushing, Long Island, N.Y.
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Thank you all for those marvellous bits of information which gives me something to work with.
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Just in case you haven't come across them - a few interesting articles you may like to read -
Albany NY Times Union - 7 March 1943
3 Yanks On RCAF Casualty List - OTTAWA - March 6 (AP)—
Royal Canadian Air, Force casualty list today reported two Americans killed on active service overseas and one previously reported missing now reported a prisoner of war.
Killed on active service were Sgt Robert Dale Fattig son of William Fattig, Indianapolis, Ind., and Sgt. Irving Louis Sanitsky, senior Mrs. Simon -Sanitsky Flushing, Long Island. The airman now a prisoner
is Sgt. William David Wendt, son of Mrs. A. W. Wendt, Westport Minn.
http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html
The Long Island City NY Star Journal - 9 March 1943 has a pictire of Sgt Irving Louis Sanitsky.
Flushing Flier Killed; Downed 5 Nazi Ships
A Flushing Hier, Sergeant Irving Louis Sanitsky, 22, of the Royal Canadian Air Force was reported killed in action overseas on Feb. 25, according to an announcement today by the Canadian government.
Sergeant Sanitsky, who lived at 170-07 3,lrd avenue, Flushing,was a rear gunner In one of
the huge British bombers and hadmore than 250 hours of combat flying.He was credited with downing five enemy planes and one "probable."
One of the real veterans of the air, Sanitsky was dubbed "Lucky"by his squadron males for having
come through so many air battles and dangerous missions unscratched..
Since the first of theyear he had been trying to get atransfer to the U. S. Navy Air Force.
Foresaw 'the End' The thought of impending death appears to have been In the filer's
mind. In one of his last letters to his mother, Mrs. Simon Sanitsky, he wrote:
"Things ar e beginning to get a bit closer to the end, I guess. What end, I just don't know."
Born in Chelsea, Mass., Sergeant Sanitsky was president of his high school class there and later studied aviation mechanics at. the NYA school at Quoddy, Me.
He Joined the RCAF in April1941. and was promoted to sergeant in March 1942. He was shipped to
England in a huge convoy in May and Immediately went into almostdally combat runs over the continent.
The flying sergeant's feelings toward the part he was playing in the war were expressed in a letter
received by his mother after she had been Informed of his death etc etc..........
Sergeant Sanitsky is survived by his mother and a younger brother.
Sawyer, 18, a second-term student at Bayside High School. Sawyer hopes to follow in the footsteps of his dead brother, not as a gunner, but as a pilot
http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html
Sandra
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Netta wife of brother Sawyer Sanitsky - born 4 March 1926 daughter of Morris Eisenberg and Sarah Herman.
Netta passed away 11 September 1996 - Last Residence 91403 Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California.
Had a daughter "M" 22/12/1954 - A son "L" born 20 April 1952 - both living in California.
Sandra
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On a 6.10.1940 RCAF document it shows his NOK as an uncle called:
Simon Swartz living on Washburn Avenue, Portland, Maine;
1940 census - Casco Street Maine Portland, Cumberland, Maine.
Simon Schwartz 42 Born MA. Credit Manager.
Bessie P Schwartz 45
Daughter Schwartz 8
Portland, Maine, City Directory, 1941 - Simon Schwartz - (Bessie P Schwartz) 84 Washburn Avenue. Portland.
Sandra
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Sandra, you've certainly found some interesting information there. Thank you most kindly.
Great to see a newspaper article as well. Tail Gunners life expectancy around about that time was five bombing operations. Shooting own five aircraft and having a probable sixth is quite something for a Tail Gunner.
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Pleased to have helped.
Regards
Sandra
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I'm very pleased to report that we have made contact with Irving's family.
Thank you very much to those who came forward with information.
Just an additional note, we are close to connecting up with two other British relatives of the crew. I will post on their respective threads if confirmed.
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Great result. Thank you for the update.
Sandra