COMUSAFE mourns loss of Polish air chief

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Pamela A.Q. Cook
  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs
WARSAW, Poland --  Military and civilian leaders from across Europe mourned the death of a visionary leader April 28 following the tragic crash of a Polish air force aircraft in Smolensk, Russia, that took the lives of 96 prominent political, military and cultural Polish leaders.

Gen. Andrzej Blasik, Polish air force commander, died April 10 alongside Polish president Lech Kaczynski and many other top Polish military leaders when the Tu-154 plane they were on crashed in a forest outside the military airport in Smolensk, Russia, en route to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre by the former Soviet Union's secret police.

Gen. Roger Brady, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and NATO Allied Air Component Command Ramstein commander, traveled to Warsaw to represent NATO air chiefs, USAFE and the U.S. Air Force at General Blasik's funeral.

"[General Blasik] possessed a deep appreciation for the rich history of the Polish air force, and, while respecting that legacy, his eye was on the future," General Brady said during a speech during the funeral in Warsaw's Powazki cemetery. "Under his inspiring leadership, the airmen of the Polish air force have moved confidently into that future, fielding the F-16 and transitioning to the C-130, while at the same time transforming into an all-professional force."

General Blasik was a 2005 graduate from USAF Air War College at Montgomery Air Force Base, Ala., and was dedicated to advancing the Polish air force through force modernization, defense reform initiatives, participating in bilateral and multinational training events, and training and developing Polish airmen through professional education.

"I'm confident in saying that the legacy of Andrzej Blasik will live on," General Brady continued. "His contributions to the NATO alliance, the partnership he forged with U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and the friendships he nurtured are seeds that will continue to grow. He lives on in the new generation of Polish airmen."

General Blasik and Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, worked alongside each other on numerous occasions, including working to establish sister wing arrangements to foster interoperability between units using similar equipment to ensure that the two air forces can effectively operate together to meet the goal of the alliance.

"On both a professional and a personal level, he was an outstanding leader and a great man," General Gorenc said of General Blasik after attending his funeral. "Professionally, he took the Polish air force and basically elevated its game with delivering combat air power. Personally, he had an infectious smile and a great sense of humor. He was fun to be around; he knew when to get serious, but he also was able to have lots of fun and was very receptive to our engagements."

General Blasik was a decorated airman, including receiving the U.S. Legion of Merit in 2009 and posthumously receiving the Commander's Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland. He was also posthumously promoted from lieutenant general to general by the Polish Minister of National Defense.

"He'll be remembered as a great partner and a great friend of the alliance," General Brady said. "He was a tremendous gentleman, a great officer, an aggressive guy who wanted to get better and was leading his nation's air force in an incredible way. [The Polish air force] will capture the spirit that was Andrzej Blasik, and they will come out of this stronger than ever."