Andrew William Tolmachoff
MilitaryPhoto location identified from other images taken at the Snettisham gunnery school held in the ARG Archive.
Andrew Tolmachoff was the youngest of eleven children born to Russian immigrant parents. After graduating from high school he had aspirations to be a major league baseball pitcher but the bombing of Pearl Harbor ended that dream. After enlisting in the Army Air Corp he trained in Fresno, CA; Denver, CO; Salt Lake City, UT; Harlinger, TX and Pyote, TX. He earned a diploma from the Aircraft Armorers (Bombardment) Technical School and was trained as a gunner on a B-17 aircraft. He arrived in England on 20 February 1944 and was assigned to the 306th Bomb Group, 369th Bomb Squadron. He flew 19 missions as a tail gunner and waist gunner. On a bombing mission to Erkner on 3 March 1944 the heaters in his shoes failed causing frostbitten toes. He was wounded by shrapnel during the 29 March 1944 mission over Brunswick. On the 8 July 1944 mission to Amiens his plane was heavily damaged by flak. The bells to bail out were ringing but Andy could not fit back through the tail opening with his bulky clothing. It ends up nobody parachuted out of “Fickle Finger” and miraculously Lt. Walter Gribovicz flew it back to base. After these missions he was reassigned as a gunnery instructor for new crew arrivals.
After returning from the war, Andy married Ruth Ednoff, his wife for 58 years until his death. He raised three children and owned a wood shutter company.
“In all I put in 19 rough missions. I was told a lot of airmen were dead after three missions. I was pretty close to dying. I am proud to be an American and I am glad I survived the war.” Andrew Tolmachoff
Reported to the European Theater of Operations on 20 Feb 1944. Completed 19 missions.
Awards: AM (2OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-672813
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38413362
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-754961
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-686908
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: T-1627 / O-887035
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 29 March 1944
- Date: 28 March 1944
- Date: 20 March 1944
- Date: 8 March 1944
- Date: 3 March 1944
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Glendale, Arizona, USA | 10 December 1923 | Son of Vasili Sergevich and Esverya Semyonovna [Zadorkin] Tolmachoff. |
Enlisted |
Camp Hydle, CA | 10 March 1943 | Camp Hydle, California |
Died |
San Luis Obispo, California, USA | 23 January 2004 | |
Buried |
Russian Molokan Cemetery Commerce, Los Angeles County, CA | 28 January 2004 | Russian Molokan Cemetery Commerce, Los Angeles County, California |
Revisions
Submitted by Wayne Tolmachoff, son
from copy of AFRS4 Fm#35-24 (Rev 12 Apr 45)
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition, 306th BGA Collection, Russell Strong Index Cards, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…