- Yes
- No
Donald Joseph Kutyna was born in 1933, in Chicago. In September 1958 he completed pilot training at Vance Air Force Base. Later he was assigned to 33rd Bombardment Squadron where he served as a B-47 Stratojet combat crew commander until June 1963. In 1965 he graduated from MIT. After that he was assigned to Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base.
In December 1969 his combat tour began during which Kutyna flew 120 combat missions from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. He served it with 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was flying an F-105 Thunderchief.
His Thud was decorated with the inscription “The Polish Glider” on air intakes and Coat of Arms of Poland with small inscription “Yankee Air Polak” under it. This suggestion is about the second one.
It was placed under the cockpit on both sides of the Thunderchief.
Why such references to Poland? The answer is pretty simple, his family immigrated from Poland to the USA in the late 1800’s. In his youth, he spoke fluent Polish. In 1990, he received the Heritage Award, and at the ceremony, he began his speech in Polish.
F-105D 59-1822 ,which he flew during Vietnam War, is currently on display at Polish Aviaton Museum in Kraków.
Sources
Donald Kutyna - Wikipedia info
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106524/general-donald-j-kutyna/ info
Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego photos and info
Aleksandra Ziolkowska-Boehm: Donald J.Kutyna REACHING FOR THE STARS photos and info
Republic F-105 kontra Suchoj Su-7 – Polot photos (by Karol Placha Hetman)