2nd Lt. J. Raymond Gormley

2nd Lt	Raymond J. Gormley	P	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
2nd Lt	Edward J. Fox	CP	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
2nd Lt	Peter T. Motta	NAV	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
2nd Lt	William J. Heath	BOM	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
T/Sgt	Dale A. Von Seggern	ROG	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
T/Sgt	Jay A. McPhee	TTE	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
S/Sgt	Donald R. Hilton	BTG	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
S/Sgt	Charles Presley	WG	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
S/Sgt	William A. Avery Jr.	WG	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen
S/Sgt	Clay E. Rife	TG	KIA	8-Oct-43	Bremen

351st Sqdn. Assigned 100th Bomb Group late August 1943.
MISSIONS OF LT RAYMOND GORMLEY

Nbr	Date	Target	A/C Nbr	A/C Name
01	10/09/43	PARIS	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA
02	16/09/43	BORDEAUX	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA
03	23/09/43	VANNES	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA
04	27/09/43	EMDEN	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA
05	02/10/43	EMDEN	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA
06	04/10/43	HANAU	A/C 42-3474	KING BEE
07	. 08/10/43	BREMEN	A/C 42-3386	MARIE HELENA

From the MACR it would appear that this crew was attacked by E/A and crashed about 20 miles SE of Emden, Germany. Bodies were burnt to 3rd degree and at least one was not identified at the time. An eyewitness statement said: ". . . a red nosed FW 190 crashed into Lt Gormley's aircraft and both went down in flame. "

FROM RAY BOWDENS BOOK "PLANE NAMES AND BLOODY NOSES. . THE 100TH BOMB GROUP"
"Top Turret gunner Sgt John Ehlen on Piccadilly Lily reported " the FW 190 crashed into the his left wing root. Gormley had been flying a wing position and the whole formation was in a flat turn. The FW 190 passed over our wing and crashed into the B-17 (Marie Helena) on the turn". Walter "Chief" Moreno flying nearby in Messie Bessie noted " Red nose FW 190 crashed into ship #386 and both went down in flames 20 miles SE of Emden" The shattered remains of Marie Helena crashed near Bellingwalde, Friesland."

From the 100th Bomb Group Message Board:
Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:16 pm
Post subject:B17F-50-DL EP-H "Marie Helena" 100BG 351BS

"Plane was rammed by A FW 190 flown by Oblt Erich Hondt, both aircraft went down and disintegrated in mid-air the wreckage falling over a wide area near Bellingwolde, 28 miles east of Groningen Holland at 15.30 hrs. Most bodies were burnt to 3 degree. Lt Gormley, Lt Fox, T/Sgt Von Seggern, T/Sgt Mc Phee and S/Sgt Presley were buried in the protestant churchyard Bellingwolde. Lt. Motta, Lt. Heath, S/Sgt Hilton, S/Sgt Avery Jr, and S/Sgt Rife were buried on 18 October 1943 in the nearby Lutheran cemetery at Leer Germany. S/Sgt Presleý's body was found a week later in canal"

"From another Dutch book about the 8th Air Force, there is the story of the German pilot Oblt Hondt where he says that he was shot down by the B-17 and he won't let him go that’s why he rammed him. He survived because his FW exploded and he was thrown from the plane with serious wounds. In the book is also some photo's of the German pilot and there is a drawing of the FW just before he rammed the B-17"

Ron
Eindhoven
the Netherlands

Reply to above posting:
(Text not edited)
"Hondt flew a Focke Wulf 190A-5/U12 Werknummer (Serialn.) 410266.Underside from the engine cover was red cover from the propeller also. There were red strips from the top of the engine cover to the back of the wings. Tail was white. I have some photos from the plane but don’t know how to add it to the post."

Jabo
Germany, Bremen Area

Reply to above posting
Thanks, Funny, the Casualty report had the correct info on the pilot that shot this crew down but Ray Bowden's book had someone completely different.

Michael P. Faley
100th Bomb Group Historian
100th Bomb Group Photo Archives

-End of Message Board postings-

Letter from The American Battle Monuments Commission dated 14/9/87 states as follows:
Avery buried private cemetery Michigan
Hilton buried private cemetery Missouri
Rife buried private cemetery Missouri
Fox buried private cemetery Virginia
Presley buried private cemetery Alabama

-end-