Casualty Report from January 24, 1944
Detail
MACR: 99910
Target: Frankfurt, Germany
Base: Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England
Crash: Returned after receiving a direct hit in the tail section. The Tail Gunner, Roy Urich, was blown out of the tail section but managed to parchute to saftey and POW status.
Squadron: 351st BS - 100th BG (H)
Aircraft
Aircraft #: 42-39867
Aircraft Type: B-17G
Aircraft Name: Hang the Expense
Aircraft Code: EP-E
Pilot: Lt Frank Valesh | O-000000
POS: P
Status: Survivor
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Copilot: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | O-000000
POS: CP
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
NAV: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | O-000000
POS: NAV
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BOM: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | O-000000
POS: BOM
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
ROG: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: ROG
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TTE: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: TTE
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BTG: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: BTG
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
RWG: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: RWG
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
LWG: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: LWG
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TG: SSgt Roy Urich | 00000000
POS: TG
Status: POW
State: California
Notes: See Crew Notes
EX1: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | N/A
POS: N/A
Status: N/A
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
EX2: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | N/A
POS: N/A
Status: N/A
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Crew Notes
Notes on this crew: This was one of the amazing events in 100th history. Urich was blown out along with his guns and the entire TG station. There was a open hole from the waist out the aft end of the plane. Dick Johnson, the Navigator and one of the 100th's best known members, went back to check on the rear crewmen as all intercom communications were destroyed. When he returned and told "Big Frank" (Valesh) that Roy (Urich) was gone, Valesh responded, "Where in the hell did he go?" 100th lore has it that Roy "flew" through the formation still in the tail gunner's bike seat, with his guns intact and still firing. The Pilot, Lt Frank "Big Frank" Valesh and his co-pilot Lt John Booth succeeded in making an emergency landing at Eastchurch, England, with little or no pitch control. There were no injuries in the attack or the landing, although the crew grieved for the loss of Roy. Three mouths later they received Roy's letter - Roy was in a Luft Stalag. The photo of this aircraft taken at Eastchurch is one of the more famous ones in the 100th's massive Photo Archives. (Paul West)
Report Notes
Notes on this report N/A
