Embassy Events 2006Embassy Representatives Participate in 65th Anniversary of “Cichociemni”26 October 2006 |
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On October 22, U.S. Embassy representatives Mr. John Gorkowski, 2nd Secretary/Political Officer; Mr. Wesley Lynah, Director, Diplomatic Post Office; and LTC Ray Wojcik, Lt Cdr Mark Seelbach, Ms. Ewa Wieczorek from the Office of Defense Cooperation participated in the 65th Anniversary of “Cichociemni,” in Czatolin, Lodz, Poland. “Cichociemni” (Silent-darkness) was a secret WWII operation established in London, which enabled the Allies to maintain contact and provide support to underground armies in occupied Europe. The anniversary commemorates the first of numerous daring airborne operations conducted by Cichociemni in Poland. On November 7/8, 1941, Cichociemni parachuted into Poland, a future important Polish Home Army leader, MAJ Jan Piwnik, “Ponury.” Cichociemni included rigorous training; of the 2,413 volunteers in the Polish group, only 316 completed training and parachuted into Poland during the War. The annual event was organized by CPT Tadeusz Michalski, Vice President of the World Association for Home Army Soldiers and presided over by Mrs. Helena Pietraszkiewicz, Governor of the Lodz region.
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 Mr. John Gorkowski; Mr. Jerzy Jozwicki; CPT Tadeusz Michalski; LTC Wojcik; COL Alexandar Arkuszynski; Lt Cdr Mark Seelbach; Ms. Ewa Wieczorek, Lt Cezary Chlebowski and Dr. Rell, Historian/Author; next to the Ponury monument during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941 |  Lt, Dr. Cezary Chlebowski, WWII Historian/Author; CPT Tadeusz Michalski,Vice President of the World Association Home Army Soldiers; Miroslaw Rajch. Dr. Chlebowski is delivering a speech during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |  Lt Cdr Seelbach; Ms. Ewa Wieczorek; LTC Wojcik with Home Army veterans during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |  Lt Cdr Seelbach and LTC Wojcik standing withVirtuti Militari winner, COL Alexandar Arkuszynski during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |
 Mr. Wesley Lynah, Director, Embassy Diplomatic Post Office with Virtuti Militari winner, COL Alexandar Arkuszynski during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |  Mr. John Gorkowski, 2nd Secretary; Mr. Wesley Lynah, Director, Diplomatic Post Office; LTC Ray Wojcik, Lt Cdr Mark Seelbach, Ms. Ewa Wieczorek from the Office of Defense Cooperation; Embassy Driver, Micholaj Szymanski; standing with Virtuti Militari winner, COL Alexandar Arkuszynski during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |  Veteran Corporal rendering honors during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |  Mr. John Gorkowski, 2nd Secretary, with LTC Wojcik and Lt Cdr Seelbach placing a wreath from the American Embassy at the foot of the MAJ Jan Piwnik “Ponury,” monument during the anniversary of the first parachute operation of Cichociemni in Poland, 7/8 November, 1941. |
