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.