BUNISKI, EDWARD J

EDWARD BUNISKI

Middle Island

Army

edward

Edward Buniski was born in Warren Run, Pennsylvania on March 27, 1918. He entered the Army on August 13, 1941. He trained at Fort Knox, Ky., as a tank driver, and went overseas with the First Armored division in June 1942. In North Africa on February 14th, 1943, Edward was captured in one of a number of battles fought around Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. He was taken back to Germany where he was a prisoner of war and put in the German POW camp Stalag 3B, Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia. He was freed from the camp on April 22, 1945 when the camp was liberated by advancing Russian troops. Returning to the United States he was sent to Lake Placid, New York for R&R. For his service Corporal Buniski was awarded the American Defense Medal, the European – African – Middle Eastern Service Medal, A Good Conduct Medal and a Prisoner of War Medal. He was discharged from the service on September 13, 1946 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Buniski Missing

In North Africa

Patchogue Advance

March 17, 1943

War Dept. Wire Reaches Home Before Letter

Middle Island Man Unaccounted for

Since Action February 14-Joined

Army in August, 1941

On Saturday, 24 hours after his parents in Middle Island had received a telegram from the War department, reporting that Cpl. Edward J. Buniski, aged 24, has been missing in North Africa since February 14, they received a letter from him, written on February 10.

He is believed to be the first Middle Island man reported missing in action in any war in 80 years since Edward and Albert Bayles uncles of Albert and Thomas Bayles who lived there, were reported missing in Civil war action.

The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buniski, who live on Rocky Point road, have heard nothing further from the War department since receiving the telegram, which gave no details.

Corporal Buniski, third oldest of the six children in the family, was inducted into the Army in August 1941, arid was last home on May 24, 1942. He has a brother in the Army, Pvt. Charles Buniski, aged 31, at Indiantown Gap, Pa.

Born in Warrior Run, Pa., Corporal Buniski came to Suffolk County in 1922, when his family moved to Wading River. Since 1926, the family has been living in Middle Island, where the father operates a farm. Corporal Buniski helped on the farm until he entered the Army. He was, graduated from the Middle Island school and attended Port Jefferson High school for two years.

He was shipped overseas last spring, arriving in Northern Ireland on June 18. He also spent some time in England before being transferred to North Africa a few months ago.

Besides the two brothers in the Army, the other members of the Buniski family are Mrs. Emily Oldfield of New York, whose husband, Ernest Oldfield, is in the merchant marine, Leo Buniski, Henry Buniski and Miss Florence Buniski, all of Middle Island.

Corporal Buniski used to play sandlot baseball in Brookhaven town having covered third base for the Middle Island team for several seasons.

Buniski Is Home

In Middle Island

Patchogue Advance

July 5, 1945

Cpl. Edward Buniski, aged 26, who achieved some fame early in 1943 in being the first, Middle Island man reported missing in action in any war in 80 years, is home again after 26 months in a German prison camp.

Corporal Buniski, third oldest of five children of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buniski of Rocky Point road, worked with his father on the farm before entering, the Army in August, 1941. He trained at Fort Knox, Ky., as a tank driver, and went overseas with the First Armored division in June 1942.

After his capture by the Germans -on February 14, 1943, in Africa, he was reported missing, and later a prisoner of war. He was liberated on April 22.

Before Corporal Buniski was reported missing in action, the last such report to have reached Middle Island was one concerning Edward and Albert Bayles, who were reported missing in Civil war action. They were the uncles of Albert and Thomas Bayles of Middle Island.

Corporal Buniski was graduated from the Middle Island school and attended Port Jefferson High school for two years. A familiar figure on local sandlots, he used to play third base for the Middle Island team. A brother, Charles Buniski, is also with the Army, in Europe.

Information supplied by the,

Brookhaven Town Historians office