# Willi Reschke Joe Owsianik -meeting after 63 years



## seesul (Aug 30, 2007)

Hello flyboys,

I temporary have my American friends on visit here- Joseph P. Owsianik, a former left waist gunner from a B-17G, ser. # 42-97159, "Tail End Charlie" and his grand
son Nic Mevoli.
This B-17G was shot down on August 29th, 1944 and Joe managed to bail out. Whole 20th Sqdn from 2nd BG was erased from the sky.
We just came back from Germany, where Joe´s big dream came true- on August 28th, 2007, after 63 years, he met Willi Reschke, a former German fighter, that flew his Bf109G-6 on that day and shot down one of those B-17G´s.

What a wonderful moment for them and me!

Enjoy these pictures friends!


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## Micdrow (Aug 30, 2007)

Awesome shots, and you right. It probably was a once in a life time moment for you. With all the WWII vets passing away now due to age. Very cool.


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## seesul (Aug 30, 2007)

Thank you Micdraw,

as you said, once in a life for me, but I´m happy for them. You could feel the touch of history and the message for the future generations.
Got to quit now as my American friends are here and I have to care for them. But not only me. I´m happy I have a lot of good friends and family around me. Without them I´d never be able to organize all these things conected to their trip.
Our American friends leave us on Monday 3rd...


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## timshatz (Aug 30, 2007)

Cool shots.


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## Wurger (Aug 30, 2007)

Ahoj Roman !!!

One of the best days in you life,great.And cool pics of course.

zdrawim,
Wojtek


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## Erich (Aug 30, 2007)

good to see the two warriors finally meet, and good for you Roman for getting this all set-up, 2 old adversaries putting things aside and sitting and chatting together

a hearty congratulations ` WELL DONE FRIEND ! enjoy the continued time together and my regards to both men and all of your team and to Jan Zdiarsky my friend....

he has a wonderful museum as well

Erich ~


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## Soundbreaker Welch? (Aug 30, 2007)

Thanks for the pics.


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## FLYBOYJ (Aug 30, 2007)

Very, very cool!!!!!


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Aug 30, 2007)

Yes that is very cool.


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## seesul (Sep 1, 2007)

Hello friends,

just found a few minutes in my friend´s office now so I wanna thank you for your messages. My American friends are still here with us. We just finished one interview with one newspaperman, that wants to write an article about Joe´s story.

Nice weekend


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## v2 (Sep 1, 2007)

8)


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## Wayne Little (Sep 2, 2007)

Yes, awesome, IS the word, thanks for sharing this event.


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## seesul (Sep 3, 2007)

v2 said:


> 8)



Hi V2,

btw, Owsianik´s parents were born in Krakow and moved to the States in 1898...

Greetings from Zlin, Czech Republic


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## v2 (Sep 3, 2007)

seesul said:


> Hi V2,
> 
> btw, Owsianik´s parents were born in Krakow and moved to the States in 1898...
> 
> Greetings from Zlin, Czech Republic



Hello Seesul,

world is not so big...
Polish peoples ( and Czech too, I think ) are all over the world...


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## seesul (Sep 3, 2007)

v2 said:


> Hello Seesul,
> 
> world is not so big...
> Polish peoples ( and Czech too, I think ) are all over the world...



Yes,

I only noted you´re from Krakow as well...


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## seesul (Sep 11, 2007)

Hello,

a few more pictures...


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## Erich (Sep 11, 2007)

2 warrior enemies now friends......................this is how it should be !

thanks Roman

Erich ~


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## seesul (Sep 12, 2007)

Erich said:


> 2 warrior enemies now friends......................this is how it should be !
> 
> thanks Roman
> 
> Erich ~



Erich,

I didn´t pass your questions to Willi yet but will do that next week in my letter.There was no time during their meeting... translating from German to English and Czech, then from German to English and Czech... I was totaly confused after we got it finished


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## seesul (Sep 14, 2007)

...and one more picture.

Nice weekend friends


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## lesofprimus (Sep 14, 2007)

Absolutely awesome stuff Roman... Excellent pics as well.... Were there any tears shed Im wondering???


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## seesul (Sep 14, 2007)

lesofprimus said:


> Absolutely awesome stuff Roman... Excellent pics as well.... Were there any tears shed Im wondering???



Hi LES,

sure- in my eyes and in Willi´s as well when we were saying goodbye. You know- to get these two together did mean a lot of research, corresponce, free time and a lot of understanding from my family, especially my wife.
But NOTHING CAN´ T BEAT THAT FEELING WHEN THEY MET. We spent there 2 hours in the pub where usually former German fighters from Thüringen (a part of Germany where Willi lives) meet and it was for a very first time when some American, a former enemy, went there.
I still can´t believe it. This way I wanna thank to Willi Reschke, his son, Joe Owsianik, all my friends and my family for supporting me...

Nice weekend


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## Gnomey (Sep 14, 2007)

Excellent stuff Roman, great pictures. As Erich said this is the way it should be.


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## seesul (Jul 5, 2017)

I'm very sorry to inform you that Willi Reschke passed away few moments ago (July 5 2017). I´ll never forget the moments spent with him and his son during our visits in Germany and the Czech republic.Willi´s meeting with my friend Joe was one of the most touching moments in my research...
Blue skies Willi!
2006 2006 – WILLI RESCHKE | Letecká bitva Karpaty
2007 2007 – WILLI RESCHKE & JOSEPH OWSIANIK | Letecká bitva Karpaty


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## rochie (Jul 5, 2017)

Really sorry to hear that Roman


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## Wurger (Jul 5, 2017)

RIP.


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## Airframes (Jul 5, 2017)

Very sorry to hear this news Roman. 
R.I.P. Willi.


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## Gnomey (Jul 5, 2017)

Really sad to hear Roman.


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## fubar57 (Jul 5, 2017)

So sorry to here this


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## Crimea_River (Jul 5, 2017)




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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 5, 2017)

seesul said:


> I'm very sorry to inform you that Willi Reschke passed away few moments ago (July 5 2017). I´ll never forget the moments spent with him and his son during our visits in Germany and the Czech republic.Willi´s meeting with my friend Joe was one of the most touching moments in my research...
> Blue skies Willi!
> 2006 2006 – WILLI RESCHKE | Letecká bitva Karpaty
> 2007 2007 – WILLI RESCHKE & JOSEPH OWSIANIK | Letecká bitva Karpaty





Oh man, sorry to hear that. He was a great man. I am glad I had the opportunity to learn from him (through you of course my friend.).

Blue skies and tail winds Willi...


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## BiffF15 (Jul 5, 2017)

RIP!


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## airminded88 (Jul 5, 2017)

Very sad news.
Tail winds Mr. Reschke.


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## Robert Porter (Jul 5, 2017)

Ah so sorry to hear! Blue Skies and Tail Winds RIP!


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## Old Wizard (Jul 6, 2017)




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## v2 (Jul 6, 2017)

R.I.P.


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## Wayne Little (Jul 6, 2017)

Very sad to hear this....RIP sir..

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


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## seesul (Jul 6, 2017)

Outstanding work Wayne, as usually!


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 7, 2017)




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## seesul (Jul 17, 2017)

Willi Reschke was buried today.


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## airminded88 (Jul 17, 2017)




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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 17, 2017)

Blue skies and tail winds...


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