Last Name:   
Poshefko
Picture
First Name: 
Joseph A.
Nickname:  
 
Born/Died  
August 28, 1915
Hometown:
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Squadron:
Third Pursuit, "Hell's Angels"
Position: 
Chief Armorer
Victories
 
Decorations:
Bronze Star, Presidential Unit Citation
Pre AVG: After completing his first year of college, Joe entered the U.S. Army Air Corps and was stationed at Langley Field, Virginia, in 1937.  He later was assigned to the 65th Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group.  He was recruited by Skip Adair, along with 19 others, and left the 57th to join the AVG in 1941.
AVG Service: Poshefko was assigned to the Third Squadron as Armorer.  During the famous first day of AVG combat in late December of 1941, he helped Burmese civilians to safety during the first Japanese bombardment of their city of Rangoon.  He also vividly recalls another incident on April 10, 1942, Loiwing, China.

  Japanese fighter planes strafed our field at 6:05 a.m....No one was injured.  They did some minor damage to some P-40s.  In the afternoon about ten Japanese fighter planes came to complete the destruction.  We had our planes in the air when they arrived and it was one of the finest fighter-to-fighter shows we ever witnessed............  None of our planes were shot down, with the Japanese losing 7 out of their 10 planes they sent over.  After the war, we found out they had lost two of their best fighter pilots.  They did not figure we would be waiting for them.  That was a Chennault tactic."                                

Post AVG, WWII:
Joe volunteered for extra duty and served with the 75th Squadron , 23rd Fighter Group, until August 16, 1942.  He returned to the states and began building U.S. Navy Wildcats for Eastern Aircraft, in Linden, New Jersey..  As Chief of Ordnance, he gave the aircraft the final inspection before they were accepted by the Navy..

Post War Career:
Poshefko worked for General Motors as Safety Director at the Framingham, Massachusetts plant. He retired in 1974 after 32 years with GM.                                                                                                                      Joe was married for 57 years, and had one son and one daughter.  He was active in community programs including Civil Defense Director, President of the Exchange Club and President of Middlesex Safety Council.