Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

						T/Sgt. Raymond Frank Pencek was the flight engineer of B-17 42-31175. After bailing out he landed at the Boerlestraat between Wijhe and Raalte. Although he tried to get away from the landing area, some Dutchmen brought him to a farm in the vicinity and gave him some food. Pencek regarded the number of people in the kitchen of the farm as too many to evade. He therefore thanked the farmers family and went off. Around 4 PM he contacted a 16-year old boy who took him to a house where Pencek received civilian clothes. Shortly after they cycled with the American airman to Raalte. Here he was handed over to Bernard Doppen (Oom Herman) who hid himself at the house of Familiy Mali. After consulting several of his contacts, Doppen was advised to bring Pencek to the farm of Family Martin Lelivelt at Schievegatsdijk 361 in Lichtenvoorde. Here he met another American airman: 2/Lt. Ford W. Babcock (E0244). Babcock and Pencek hid here until 17 February 1944. On this date they travelled, escorted by Ter Haar and/or Gijs Roukema, via the house of Gerrit Rietberg (Barlheze 21 in Zutphen) by train to Echt. After crossing the border they ended up in Hasselt. From here they moved to Brussels were they were separated after about four weeks. Pencek stayed at different addresses and was liberated on 5 September 1944 on his hiding address at Rue Leopold in Brussels. Babcock was arrested on 22 June 1944.

After the war Pencek started his career with Western Electric in Chicago and later moved to Atlanta in 1962, where he retired from AT&T in 1977. Raymond Frank Pencek passed away on 24 February 2010 at the age of 92 at Roswell, Georgia, USA.