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"BADGER'S BEAUTY" - AC #230604
(100th Photo Archives) |
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"BOSS LADY" of the 350th
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Picture of John Brady's B-17 A/C #42-3237 "STYMIE" LD-R enroute to Regensburg 17 Aug 43.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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"BACHELOR'S HEAVEN"-AC # 44-8284 LN-H crash
landed at Tibenham AF just after takeoff Dec 31, 1944 |
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F. E. "Big Frank" Valesh's
035 "HANG THE EXPENSE"
This is the famous Drapper's barn and Red Cross Girls crash on 26 Nov 1943
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Some of the 100th over Bremen 8 Oct 43. First of two terrible
missions the 100th flew in the second week of Oct 43 -- Munster
followed on the 10th. On 8 Oct 43 the group lost
Lt. Gromley. From the MACR it would appear that this crew was
attacked by E/A and crashed about 20 miles SE of Emden, Germany.
An eyewitness statement said: ". . .a red nosed FW 190
crashed into Lt Raymond J. Gormley's "MARIE HELENA"
and both went down in flames." Also on the Bremen
mission the 351st lost the famous "PICCADILLY LILY" and their
beloved "Ole Murf," Lt Thomas E. Murphy.
(100th Photo Archives)
|
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351st Crew Chief Dewy Christopher walks away from the damaged
"HUMPTY DUMPTY".
(100th Photo Archives) |
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The 100th flies through concentrated flak at the target. Target is not known.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Burning 100th aircraft - probably struck by flak.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Under attack! Note enemy aircraft on pursuit at 6 o'clock.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Maybe a 390th aircraft. Classic engine fire - likely caused by enemy fighters.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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4 Dec 43 crash of the 350th 42-39791, "FLETCHER'S CASTORIA" LN-W. Crashed during crew transition.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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4 Dec 43 crash of the 350th 42-39791, "FLETCHER'S CASTORIA" LN-W. Crashed during crew transition.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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351st 42-39867 "HANG THE EXPENSE III" back in England after taking flak hit at Frankfurt, Germany 24 Jan 44, literally blew Roy Urich, the TG out of the aircraft. Big Frank Valesh and his crew assumed Roy had been killed. They were happily surprised
to receive a letter from the POW camp informing them he was not injured. At 100th reunions decades later other members of the 351st say they saw Roy flying through the formation sitting on the TG's bicycle seat still holding the handles of his twin
Brownings. (100th Photo Archives) |
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A 100th B-17G lands on runway 28 at Thorpe
Abbotts. (100th Photo Archives) |
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On the Regensburg mission. this crew was flying as left wing to Roy Claytor who was leading the second element of the low squadron. Truly "tail end Charlie" to not only the 100th Group but the entire Regensburg force. Attacked by e/a about 10 minutes before
reaching Nuremberg, Hummel's plane was seen to "blow up" but some chutes were seen. On this final flight of 17/8/43 Devich & Bishoff were replaced by S/Sgt Richard E.Bowler & S/Sgt Francis T.J.Stafford. Bowler was KIA and Stafford became a POW. J.E.Devich had sustained a broken wrist and
other injuries when one dark night he ran his bicycle into a ditch near the base. "THEY NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD" p.75 notes that ". . . . a last man, Bishoff, was later removed from the crew for hospitalization and his place taken by a spare gunner." See also TNHISG p.81 re Dick Bowler.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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Ev Blakley's "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" at Ludham after the 8 Oct 43 Bremen Mission. "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" is one of the better known planes in 100TH lore, she is remembered for bringing this crew back from Bremen on 8 OCT 43. With the A/C basle damaged, Ev
Blakely and John Kidd, Group Ops Officer, who led the mission from the Co-Pilots seat, landed "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" in a field at Ludham. Damage to the hydraulic system rendered the brakes inoperative and "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" collided with a large tree. Impact was between the #1 and
#2 engine. (100th Photo Archives) |
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349th Aircraft at Thorpe Abbotts 27 Feb 44. This is the tail section of "SQUAWKIN HAWK" 230088 E. This aircraft was later flown back the United States by Capt. Charles A. Brooks.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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EYEWITNESS REPORT SEPTEMBER 11, 1944: "The group in which A/C 42-102657 was flying was attacked by from 50 to 70 E/A. The attack caused at least three of our A/C to explode on the first pass and most of the others appeared to be damaged. Many of them were
attacked again as stragglers. In a few moments all but one disappeared into the under cast. Two chutes were seen before the A/C disappeared. A/C #42-102657 was flying #2 position in the lead element of the 100th Group C Squadron which was flying as the low squadron of the Group. At 1205
hours at 5035N - 1310E at 26,000 feet the 100th C Squadron was attacked by approximately 40 e/a, FW-190s and ME 109s. The e/a came in a "swarm" from 6 o'clock opening fire with 20 mm from 400 yards. After this one mass attack, a few single e/a broke away from the "swarm" and made a 360
degree turn and again attacked crippled air-craft in the 100th C Squadron from 6 o'clock low In a few moments all but one of our A/C disappeared beneath the under cast about half of them appearing to be under control. Since none of the A/C from the 100th C squadron returned from this
mission. (100th Photo Archives) |
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Early model Spitfire escorting the 100th in late 1943 or early 1944
(100th Photo Archives) |
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100th leading the 13th Combat Wing, note the Mickey Radar on the Pathfinder ship that has dropped its bombs.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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350th B-17G over East
Anglia (100th Photo Archives) |
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The First Pilots position on a B-17G- This photo from 390th's aircraft at their hanger.
(100th Photo Archives) |
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