# B-17's that took a beating



## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

Here are some photos


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

I have a lot more if you want to see


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## luftwaffemesserschmitt (Jan 5, 2008)

cool picktures would love to see more !
jou got information what hit the bomber ? (FLAK,fighters)


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

(In order)
1. THe first one was struck by a .88mm shell
2.was a 2 cm flak hit 
3. 20mm shell by a Fw-190
4. was a 20mm cannon shell too and then caught fire when landing. All crew survived
5. THere is no info on that one but I would say a .88 shell.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

Later ill add some more i got some things to do today
5 oclock i will post more


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## Gnomey (Jan 5, 2008)

Battle-Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses: Contents


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

Yep GNomey good site right?


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

The 2nd Bomb Group

Plane 38078 on Mission 279

to Debrecen, Hungary

Marshalling Yards on

Sept. 21 1944.



The Flight Crew Story



This raid produced one of the great flying fortress survival stories of the war 2nd Lt Guy M. Miller and crew of "Sweet Pea" were approaching the target when an 88mm antiaircraft shell slammed into the plane's mid-section. exploded, and nearly tore the Fortress in two. Huge sections of the waist on both sides instantly disappeared, control cables were cut, electrical and communications systems went powerless and silent.

Half of the bombs fell out of the bomb bay, the lower turret was jammed with the gunner inside, and the explosion blew deadly debris in all directions. The left waist gunner, Elmer H. Buss was killed instantly. The right waist gunner James F. Maguire, had multiple wounds but was saved by his back pack parachute, serving as a flak suit, saving his life. The tail gunner , S/Sgt. James E. Totty, was mortally wounded and died on the airplane. The radio operator, S/Sgt Anthony Ferrara was peppered like buckshot with shrapnel fragments in the chest. 

The stunned crew started its battle for survival. Lt. Miller and his copilot Lt. Thomas M. Rybovich struggled for control of the airplane and begin assessing what they had left to do it with. Most of the control cables were cut and his major control was through use of the engines, which miraculously, were undamaged. 

Lt. Miller thought about ordering bail out, but decided against that when he learned he had one dead, three wounded, and one stuck in the ball turret.
The wounded were gathered in the radio room for first aid. The bombardier/
gunner S/Sgt Robert R. Mullen came back from the nose section and helped
Sgt. Gerald McGuire, UTG, bring the mortally wounded S/Sgt Totty from the
tail to the radio room. McGuire did finally succeed in freeing Cpl William F.
Steuck from the ball turret. Later it was learned that turret was resting on
three safety fingers which were all that kept the turret from falling out of the
airplane, with Steuck inside. There were still six bombs hung up in the racks
and Mullen climbed into the bomb bay and released them one by one with
a screw driver.

Against seemingly impossible odds. Lts. Miller and Rybovich now faced the reality of trying to nurse their mangled airplane and its battered crew across several hundred miles of enemy territory and almost 600 miles back to base. Navigator, 2nd Lt. Theodore Davich, plotted a course, and the pilots very gingerly set what was left of "Sweet Pea" on the long trek homeward. (This account is set out in "Defenders of Liberty" but I thought it such an outstanding achievement for this crew I would repeat it here.)

source: Second Bomb Group


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

What happened to the plane below them? it looks like the bombs are dropping on it? cool story seesul


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

sorry seesul just realised wrong pics


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

It was bombs in that picture good story seesul


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

More..........


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

wilbur1 said:


> sorry seesul just realised wrong pics



I know...4given


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

That bottom one looks like the prop went through it b17 ?


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

wilbur1 said:


> That bottom one looks like the prop went through it b17 ?



I guess so


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

Man, could you imagine being in that plane trying to get home. Not only is it falling apart, but you got some crazy guy trying to shoot at you also  
God i wanna try it


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

wilbur1 said:


> Man, could you imagine being in that plane trying to get home. Not only is it falling apart, but you got some crazy guy trying to shoot at you also
> God i wanna try it



never in my life!


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

Yeah would be scary, but still imagine what joe was thinking when it was happening one brave individual


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

me 2


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

wilbur1 said:


> Yeah would be scary, but still imagine what joe was thinking when it was happening one brave individual



yes, here are two pics of the rests of his b-17 and the picture of the grave of his 2 fellows that weren´t so lucky...


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

mmmmm good photos take my hats off to the B-17 crew


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## Lucky13 (Jan 5, 2008)




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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

Great photos seesul


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

thank you friends...
and here are the pics of those two who didn´t survive:
*Joe Marinello, ball turret gunner*- Joe belives he was KIA onboard yet when the attack began. The ball turret got jammed so Joe Owsianik tried to crancle it by hand to get into position for opening the gate but no chance...So he run to the emergency door behind the right waist, kicked them out and bailed out...
*Russell Meyrick, bombardier*- bailed out but his chute was full of fuel and caught fire. So Russell fell down without chute. People from nearby village Rudice (where they were later buried) heard him yelling... He hit the ground by his head so fast that they even weren´t able to pull him out...

A sad story as millions of others...


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## seesul (Jan 5, 2008)

and since 2004 there´s a Holy Mess at the Meyrick´s tree (next to the place where Merick fell down) every year on last August Sunday...


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## B-17engineer (Jan 5, 2008)

Gotta give your hats off to those brave bomber crews who knew there fate was in the hands of there plane..........


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## evangilder (Jan 5, 2008)

That is really awesome that the people there hold a memorial for someone they never met, who was a foreigner to them. The amount of people in the pictures is what surprised me.


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## lesofprimus (Jan 5, 2008)

Me too, makes it feel like it was worth it to those guys....


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## Micdrow (Jan 5, 2008)

That's awesome that they did it for some one they didn't know. 

For those of you looking for a life and death struggles of a B-17 read the book Valor at Polebrook, The last flight of Ten Horsepower by Rick School and Jeff Rogers. Ten Horsepower is probably the single highest awarded crew for valor of any B-17 crews with two Medal of Honor winners and may other awards for just one mission. A good show of heroism yet at the same time very sad.


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## Henk (Jan 5, 2008)

What is the story behind the bomb going for the B-17?


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## wilbur1 (Jan 5, 2008)

I was asking the same thing earlier but i made a mistake. Seesul i am glad to see those pics makes me feel good inside about people in general (ok maybe not lucky sometimes, he's cranky,) but still i cant help but feel for the people that fought, or lived there at that time. the same here in the U.S. hell if it werent for them folk id be writin in german right now


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## Screaming Eagle (Jan 6, 2008)

wow very touching, what a great story of survival


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

Henk said:


> What is the story behind the bomb going for the B-17?




Elevator broke away and that B-17 went down...

My friend Joe told me similar story- once, when they were on the mission over France, the bomb run started and one of their bombs fell down into the B-25´s formation flying at lower altitude. Joe seen the bomb hit one Mitchell, Mitchell left formation and went down. I don´t know if some chutes were seen...


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

O.K., if you´re interested, I can continue with the stories of the other crew members from Joe´s machine...


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

After he bailed out and opened his chute, he was trying to land in woods in order to hide himself. He was succesful but people from nearby village found him there and toke him home. He stood there overnight but on the other day one woman told it to police so Germans came there and captured him. Before Germans came there, Kirsch gave his first aid kit and ring to his savers. Germans were on the way from another B-17 crashplace (Vyskovec) and have rests of bodies of American fliers loaded on this truck. He took Kirsch on this truck, brought him to Slavicin (town, where I was born) and put him into jail. Germans let the bodies in morque and they were buried on the other day.
Kirsch ended up as a POW in Stalag luft IV. Lives in Pitsburg,Pensylvania and send me 3 letters and pics.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 6, 2008)

O found that the B-17 just was under the other during bomb release but it managed to get back safley


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

B-17engineer said:


> O found that the B-17 just was under the other during bomb release but it managed to get back safley



Don´t think so. I´ve seen 3 pictures of this machines somewhere- before being hit, being hit and going down. Don´t know where. Have to found it yet.
There´s no time now. There´s icehockey match now and can´t miss it.
See you tomorrow guys.


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## ToughOmbre (Jan 6, 2008)

Speaking of B-17s that took a beating, this site has some cool pics.....

Battle-Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses

TO


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

ToughOmbre said:


> Speaking of B-17s that took a beating, this site has some cool pics.....
> 
> Battle-Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses
> 
> TO



yep. that´s another story. This machine made it back.


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## evangilder (Jan 6, 2008)

B-17engineer said:


> O found that the B-17 just was under the other during bomb release but it managed to get back safley



That myth has been circulating the web for a while. No, the plane did NOT make it back. All on board were killed when the plane went down, no one got out.

Battle-Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses: Tail hits - Page 3


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

evangilder said:


> That myth has been circulating the web for a while. No, the plane did NOT make it back. All on board were killed when the plane went down, no one got out.
> 
> Battle-Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses: Tail hits - Page 3



thank you eric
yeah, I spoke about these pics.this b-17 never made it back...


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## wilbur1 (Jan 6, 2008)

Great stuff seesul,thanks for sharing it!


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

wilbur1 said:


> Great stuff seesul,thanks for sharing it!



Wilbur,
thank you for your attendance. There´s an icehockey match today, so tomorrow I´ll let ya know.


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## wilbur1 (Jan 6, 2008)

Cool its raining here so stuck inside again


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## Erich (Jan 6, 2008)

Roman and his collegues should be praised and thanked for what they have done to make enemies friends again, thank fully even through the pain of both the German and US airmen with losses of close buds they have reunited as shown through several pics of Willy R. and Joe meeting and each other embracing. That to me says it all, forgiveness on both sides ? maybe, maybe not, but to even meet with one another sit at the same table and have a few biers and talk of times long ago says much to make a sure bond between adversaries............thanks for that Roman you all have done well and it is much appreciated I know from Joe and Will and others.
I think of friend Dr. Jan Zdiarsky another one who has put together a fine museum and brought together on the anniversary of a tragic air battle over the Erzgebirge on 11 September 1944 both sides to make things right and remember the fallen.
have also been apart of the KMMA for the US 445th bg as an outside friend who also has been able with German help present memorial to the fallen of their bomb group and to the SturmFw and Bf 109G pilots that fell on 27 September 44 near Kassel-Göttingen.

As to film clips of stricken US bombers I have plenty and have put some here on the site in the past months and years


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## seesul (Jan 6, 2008)

Erich:
THANK YOU!


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## b17sam (Jan 6, 2008)

Click on damage for famous picture and information about damaged B-17. This is enlarged pic of your avatar.


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

After bailing out he fell down into the woods and was found by Czech people. One of them used to work in USA so could speak English. He persuaded Joe to follow them to their house. They brought him home (in nearby village Preckovice) and Joe stood there till the end of the war (from Aug. 29,1944 till the end of June 1945!) AT THE GREAT RISK OF WHOLE FAMILY. For sure if Germans found hime there, whole family would be executed, there´s no doubt...
Few times, when Germans entered the village, he had to ran into the woods and stay there for 1 or 2 days, then came back. Before the end of the war, when Germans were on they way to west occupation zone, each family in this village had to accomodate few Germans. So there were 2 Germans also at this family. Joe was so ''fresh'', that he acted deaf and dumb Czech, sat to the table with Germans and played cards with them 
Anyway, he was so happy there that when the WW2 was over, he even wanted to stay there and didn´t want to come back home. No wonder when I´ve seen pictures that his sister sent me 2 months ago. All the girls around loved him and I guess he loved them all as well 
At the end of June he had to leave as it wasn´t easy for an American to stay in Russian occupation zone. So came back to small village Lutrell, Knoxville county, TN. Died 1972 after long ilness. He had 2 sons and I have to write them yet, when there´s a time.

1st pic- Joe with local girls in Preckovice
2nd pic- Joe with his parents and sister after he got back home
3rd pic- Joe in uniform


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## Screaming Eagle (Jan 7, 2008)

good stories seesul keep em coming!


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

thank you Eagle, O.K., let´s go...

After bailing out he fell down on open field (3 miles away from my born town) and saw a lot of people yelling and running his direction. He didn´t know if they are Gemans or Czechs, so ran away into the woods and was hidding there untill all the people left. Because all the crews were on the pre-flight briefing informed that there´s National urprising agaist Germans in Slovakia since Aug. 29, he decided to go east. In fact all the machines that went down on that day, fell next to the Czech/Slovak border, most of them on Czech side, some on Slovak side. So he was lucky as after 1 hour of walking he was in Slovakia. After he met some local people there they brought him to town called Trencin. There he met another Americans from differnet crews that bailed out few days or weeks before. They all were accomodated in one house. Once German soldiers entered this house and captured all the Americans. There was only one that wasn´t captured- correct- Bob Donahue...Why? Very easy, he had to go to the toilet and while he was there doing his job, Germans captured all the other Americans 
Then he met Slovak soldier (Jan Surovec) that spoke English and with his help he was able to reach Banska Bystrica, the centre of Slovak National Urprising.
On Sept. 17, 1944, 2 B-17´s with from 2ndBG with and fighter escort of P-51´s flew to Banska Bystrica as an famous OSS secret mission, B-17´s landed there on the field airport and toke 12 American crew members back to Amendola base. By the way there´s very good book called ''OSS tragedy in Slovakia'' written by Jim Downs describing also this event. I got an English version of this book, Slovak version is also available.
Robert used to work as postman after WW2 and died in 2003. I´m very sad that I wasn´t able to got in touch with him before...

1st picture- boxcar-has nothing do do but it´s a part of the pic bellow, sorry
2nd picture- from L-R Thayne Thomas (1st pilot of B-17 No. 096 ''Big Time'' that went down on the same day, Thomas was only one survivor and met Donahue in Banska Bystrica), Jan Surovec (Slovak soldier and interpreter) and Robert Donahue
3rd picture- group of waiting Americans on the field airport near Banska Bystrica waiting for 2 B-17´s. Bob Donahue is in the front row, 2nd from left
4th picture- the same group
5th picture- 2 B-17´s after landing on this field airport


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## lesofprimus (Jan 7, 2008)

Awesome stuff Roman, a great tribute to these guys...


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## evangilder (Jan 7, 2008)

Great addition to this site. Good stuff, Roman.


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

thank you friends!
only hope you understand my English 
never learned English in the school...I´m self-taught person...


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## wilbur1 (Jan 7, 2008)

Great storys seesul, i recommend a book to you about the oss called sisterhood of spies, talks about that mission. keep the storys coming!


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

After bailing out he was hidding in the woods near Rudimov village. 2 young Czechs found him there and one of them brought him home. His name is Mojmir Baca. He´s as old as Loy and they became so good friends since that that they are still in touch today and Loy has visited our town Slavicin 5 or 6 times.
Back to the story- Loy stayed overnight in Baca´s house and on the other day he made a decision to give up to Germans as he didn´t want to bring Baca´s family into danger...
So he walked with Baca to Slavicin and gave up there. Till the end of the war as POW.
He´s past president of 2ndBG vets association (2004-2006). 
He´s that one that got me in touch with Joe. In 2004 there was a big commemoration of 60 years aniversary of the battle over White Carpathian so Loy came to attend this event. After the offical part of the commemoration I asked him for a signature and my wife toke a picture of him with me. Loy gave me an adress of their websites Second Bomb Group, I´ve found his mailing address there and sent him a letter. He shared this letter with another vets from his crew that was shot down with him. After 2 weeks I got an e-mail from Joe saing. "hi, I was shot down with Loy, my name is Joe and if you wish we can stay in touch". Sure I wanted!!! I sent and got more or less 200 e-mails in 6 months (!) to and from Joe and then I asked him if he wanted to visit us. He told me:" maybe yes, but don´t jump too high yet". After 2 weeks I got a scanned copies of flight tickets and everything was sure 
So Joe visited us here in August 2005, we visited him in 2006 and this year he visited us again... He calls me SON, which I´m very proud of...

Pic 1- from L to R- Mojmir Baca (Loy´s friend), me,Loy, Anton (my best friend)
Pic 2- from L to R- Mojmir Baca and Loy


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## RamRod (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks, SeeSul, for posting an amazing story. 

Just had a thought (I get one once in a great while now): I wonder what the predominant occupation/success rate was for B-17 crews, in post-war, civilian life. I would be willing to put some money down that damn few of them turned out to be street bums or criminals. Maybe it's just the romantic in me.


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## lesofprimus (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks again for posting this history Roman, great stuff man...


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

Thank you Dan,

more tomorrow. Now I gotta make my children sleepy...


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## lesofprimus (Jan 7, 2008)

Make em sleepy???? 

Cute little bedtime stories???? Warm milk??? Alchohol based cough medicine???

Maybe some sweet stories of American Airmen falling from the skies???


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## seesul (Jan 7, 2008)

lesofprimus said:


> Make em sleepy????
> 
> Cute little bedtime stories???? Warm milk??? Alchohol based cough medicine???
> 
> Maybe some sweet stories of American Airmen falling from the skies???



   
Good nite 4 2nite...


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## seesul (Jan 11, 2008)

After bailing out landed in the woods near Nevsova (3 miles away from Slavicin) and stayed hanging on tree. Local people helped him to get down. He was wounded on his hand so the people called for the doctor from Slavicin. After he arrived he decided to drive Coogan to Slavicin as he wasn´t able to treat his wound without ambulance.
In Slavicin, after Coogan´s wound was treated, Germans captured him and he ended as POW in Stalag Luft IV.
He was a jew, so before or after he bailed out he removed his dog tag.
After he was captured he spent few days with another crew members in German military barracks in Slavicin. My friend Joe gave him one of his own 3 christian medals what probably helped to save Coogan´s life. If the Germans knew he´s a jew, they would execute him....
I´ve 4got- he was a flight engineer.
We belive he passed away in 90´s, have no picture of him.


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## seesul (Jan 12, 2008)

seesul said:


> After he bailed out and opened his chute, he was trying to land in woods in order to hide himself. He was succesful but people from nearby village found him there and toke him home. He stood there overnight but on the other day one woman told it to police so Germans came there and captured him. Before Germans came there, Kirsch gave his first aid kit and ring to his savers. Germans were on the way from another B-17 crashplace (Vyskovec) and have rests of bodies of American fliers loaded on this truck. He took Kirsch on this truck, brought him to Slavicin (town, where I was born) and put him into jail. Germans let the bodies in morque and they were buried on the other day.
> Kirsch ended up as a POW in Stalag luft IV. Lives in Pitsburg,Pensylvania and send me 3 letters and pics.



got a nice letter from Bob Kirsch yesterday with interesting story. More on Monday...


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## Wayne Little (Jan 12, 2008)

Great reading and Pics, seesul, thanks for sharing....


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## seesul (Jan 28, 2008)

Just to continue- Francis Flynn bailed out through the bomb bay. One of the 20 mm shells that exploded in the cockpit wounded him badly on his back.
He landed near the small village Petruvka, some 3 miles away from Slavicin and stood unconscious. Local people found him there. They saw also another parachute falling down so the ran this direction to find the friend of badly wounded American. They found him in the woods. He was hiding there as he didn´t know it the people are Germans or Czechs. This airmen turned to be my friend Joseph P. Owsianik. The people somehow told Joe that there´s his friend very close that needs a help so Joe gave up escape to the east and went with the people. When met Francis Flynn he asked the people for the stretcher. People brought the stretcher from the fire house: Joe loaded Flynn on the stretcher and with the help of the people they brought him to the fire house. There Joe opened the escape maps and asked the people for the location. At the same moment a German officer entered the room and yelled : Raus! Raus! (get out). All the people dissapeared and only Joe, Francis and the German soldiers stood there. Germans stripped Joe off and were trying to find out if he is a Jew. If so, the would execute him.
Then they gave some clothes back to Joe and escorted him to the jail in Slavicin. Francis Flynn was transported to the hospital in Brno where he was operated. Later he underwent several opearations in Germany before the WW2 was over.
Francis Flynn has visited Slavicin in 1994 with another crew members, since that there are no news about him.
Today I´ve found interesting information about him. It seems that he sent a letter to Gerge Bush with his experience from visit of Slavicin...
Biographical information: Francis Flynn Collection: Veterans History Project (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)
Photoalbum,correspondence and even video interview *Francis W. Flynn: Veterans History Project (Library of Congress*

I´ve never sen that before!


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## seesul (Jan 28, 2008)

...I´ve 4got to add the copy of the letter from G. Bush...


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## seesul (Jan 28, 2008)

hmmm, so attempt No. 2...


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## KMeyrick (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks for the posting. As you can probably tell by my login, Russell Meyrick was my great uncle (my paternal grandfather's brother). It is my goal to someday soon make it to Rudice for the memorial at the tree-maybe next year if the money is there. I would love to chat with you about those on my uncle's plane who are still with us. I would cherish the opportunity to talk with them.


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## Trebor (Nov 3, 2008)

holy Jesus! boy, Boeing sure knew how to build their aircraft strong!! and I thought the B-17 "Ye olde Pub" was torn up.


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Nov 3, 2008)

Great photos and story Seesul. My best regards to those airmen.


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## seesul (Nov 4, 2008)

KMeyrick said:


> Thanks for the posting. As you can probably tell by my login, Russell Meyrick was my great uncle (my paternal grandfather's brother). It is my goal to someday soon make it to Rudice for the memorial at the tree-maybe next year if the money is there. I would love to chat with you about those on my uncle's plane who are still with us. I would cherish the opportunity to talk with them.



Hi Kelly!
just sent you PM. As I told you there I´m pretty excited and you made my day today! Should you attend the next year commemoration, that would be something amazing. So let´s keep in touch via e-mails...
Someone from your family was in touch with me 2 years ago (only 1 e-mail) and he thanked me for the pic of Meyrick. I have to find this e-mail and will send it to you.


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## seesul (Nov 6, 2008)

KMeyrick said:


> Thanks for the posting. As you can probably tell by my login, Russell Meyrick was my great uncle (my paternal grandfather's brother). It is my goal to someday soon make it to Rudice for the memorial at the tree-maybe next year if the money is there. I would love to chat with you about those on my uncle's plane who are still with us. I would cherish the opportunity to talk with them.



Kelly,

2 days ago I sent you few e-mails, unfortunately (probably) to wrong e-mail address. I resent them all few minutes ago to the adress you´ve posted - [email protected] 
Did you get them?


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## seesul (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi Kelly,

can you share some story (stories) of Russell with us? Or some pics?


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## seesul (Jan 29, 2009)

Kelly, where are you?


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## MikeGazdik (Jan 30, 2009)

Fantastic story Roman. Thank you so much. My grandfather was a B-17 waist gunner with the 351st group, 8AF. I am also in awe at the amount of people present at the memorial. I think some of the European countries better appreciate these men than my own country. Sad but true.


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## seesul (Jan 30, 2009)

MikeGazdik said:


> I think some of the European countries better appreciate these men than my own country. Sad but true.



Mike, Joe Owsianik, that guy mentined in my siggy, told me the same... I´m happy and proud we can show we haven´t forgot 'our' heroes...


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## Heinz (Jan 30, 2009)

Thanks for sharing Roman and I couldn't agree more, may we never forget.


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## KMeyrick (Mar 16, 2009)

Roman!
WE ARE COMING ON THE 29th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't change the date!

I emailed you


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## Trebor (Mar 16, 2009)

um....do what now?


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## seesul (Mar 16, 2009)

Trebor, go one page back and you´ll get it all.
Kelly´s great uncle Russell was KIA on his mission on Aug 29,1944, few miles away from my born town. As every year, there will be an anniversary commemoration (65th) on the crash site.
Kelly found me this year and decided to come to visit us, also maybe with her grandpa, Russell´s brother.
Kelly works as a teacher so the date wasn´t the best for her so she asked me to move it 2 weeks earlier. Now she told me the date is O.K. for her.
So just a little explanation, if you´re interested in this particular B-17, start to read this thread from the page N°2.


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## seesul (Mar 16, 2009)

KMeyrick said:


> Roman!
> WE ARE COMING ON THE 29th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Don't change the date!
> ...



Haven´t got better information this year!
Kelly, get your men ready for our beer /the only real Budweiser/ and home made slivovice /brandy from plumbs with 51% of alcohol/.
I´ll inform all my friends and mayors involved in this about your message!
THX again!

Roman


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## Trebor (Mar 16, 2009)

oh, hehe, I'm sorry. I thought it was another spammer. (I didn't know your name was roman) my apologies ^^;


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## seesul (Mar 16, 2009)

Yep, I understand...Kelly has only 2 posts here.
But those two posts are more valuable than gold for me 8)


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## KMeyrick (Mar 24, 2009)

seesul said:


> Yep, I understand...Kelly has only 2 post here.
> But those two post are more valuable than gold for me 8)



That's so sweet.


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## seesul (Mar 24, 2009)

Kelly, you were the first who contacted me.
Otherwise I have always contacted the families of the veterans, both from US and German side, sometime with success, sometime not...8)


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## Chatterbox (May 25, 2009)

Russell Meyrick is my Great Uncle. May he rest in peace.


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## KMeyrick (May 25, 2009)

not to sound too terse.... but which of my cousins are you?? 

you can PM me if you don't want it posted here.

Thanks.

((I ask because a couple of years ago, someone claiming to be Russell's nephew contacted Roman, however we have no one in the family by that name. Just keeping family stuff legit.))

Kelly


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

Chatterbox said:


> Russell Meyrick is my Great Uncle. May he rest in peace.



 yep, the word is small...
So get in touch with Kelly. She´s going to visit Russell´s crash site in the Czech Republic in August...


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

KMeyrick said:


> not to sound too terse.... but which of my cousins are you??
> 
> you can PM me if you don't want it posted here.
> 
> ...



In 2007 I got pics of Russell Meyrick and Joe Marinello from one Czech historian. I sent them to Loy Dickinson (who was a navigator on the plane that went down with Russell). Loy sent these pics to his friends and after few weeks I got an e-mail from someone who thanked me for this pic and said Russell was his great uncle.
I had another e-mail box back then that doesn´t exist anymore so I can´t tell now who was it. Maybe it was you...who knows...
If you want, my e-mail address is roman.susil*at*gmail.com


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

Chatterbox said:


> Russell Meyrick is my Great Uncle. May he rest in peace.



And Chatterbox, check this page out http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/b-17s-took-beating-11209-2.html
If you or Kelly want, I can post more pics of the 'Meyrick´s tree' and surrounding area.


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## KMeyrick (May 26, 2009)

Ya, Roman. You sent me that information a while back and you had spoken to Russell's sister. She mentioned that person to my dad, and you mentioned him to me, and neither me, my dad, nor my great aunt know who that person is. 

For us it's fairly easy to verify family. Russell's sister is a great family historian and Russell had only 3 siblings and only 2 of those had children -- for a total of 10 nieces and nephews. We know everyone. We may have lost touch with each other over the years, but most of us knew each other as kids. And I"m the oldest of all of Russell's 17 (Or 18 I think I'm forgetting someone) great nieces and nephews. 

I hope Chatterbox replies- there are a few cousins I haven't talked to in years since we've all grown up and moved away for college and jobs. I'd love to get back in touch them. I hear about them from my mom or dad, but it would be great to establish personal contact again.


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

Hey, wish I could find that e-mail...but it disappeared with my old e-mail account...
But, he was contacted thru Loy who sent him Russel´s picture...and then I got his answers with his thanks...
I´ll try to ask Loy yet...


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## KMeyrick (May 26, 2009)

I may have a copy of it at my home account (i'm at work- shhhhhhhhh)

My aunt is sending copies of photos of Russell to my dad so we'll have some to bring with us for you.

I can't wait to take the photos myself.

Oh- are any of those photos of the exhumation from Rudice? Or are they all from the mass grave in Slavicin?


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

Kelly, enjoy your work now  11:15 pm here...
No pics from the exhumation in Rudice, but I´ll ask the mayor soon...


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

Kelly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was smart enough and sent a copy of my answer to Russell´s nephew to my actual e-mail account back then. Unfortunately I don´t have a copy of his e-mail, anyway, does the name *George Cole* sound familiar to you???????
If you want I can send you his e-mail address via e-mail...


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## KMeyrick (May 26, 2009)

yup- that's the name you gave me. Although we don't have a George Cole. I don't have a great uncle George, an uncle George or a cousin George. So someone is climbing the wrong family tree. 

Have a good night. We're finalizing our trip this week or next so I'll get you our arrival time soon.


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## seesul (May 26, 2009)

That is realy strange, then where did Loy get his e-mail address from?
Gotta ask him...
O.k.send me your arrival dates as soon as you have them.


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## KMeyrick (May 26, 2009)

probably he was looking around and somehow contacted Loy.

It is somewhat possible that this George is related somehow--- like through being the child of a cousin of Russell (although I know of only 1 cousin and he doesn't have a child name George). But still, being the child of a cousin doesn't make you a nephew. It makes you a cousin once removed (or twice removed depending on the generation). 

A great uncle is the brother of your grandma or grandfather. 

Chatterbox- I'm a Meyrick..........I can't stand waiting.................... I'm jingling my keys.....................

Roman- I'll email you are plans when I get home after getting Cassie from gymnastics. We're even planning our Prague time too. The kids have put in requests. I just can't wait for some great european strong coffee and pastries. Yum yum (Oh and the beer too of course!!!)


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## seesul (May 27, 2009)

Kelly, should you have a time for visiting Prague, you´ll enjoy it. It´s a very nice city with a very old history with historical buildings, bridges and museums. But you should stay at least 3 days there.

As for beer- I´m sure you´ll like it. It has nothing to do with that American Bud...


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## KMeyrick (May 27, 2009)

we don't have 3 days, but I think we're planned pretty well.

We fly in on Thursday morning and will take the tour bus to Terrizin Concentration camp and maybe a museum before we get picked up for Rudice. Then we'll spend THursday night, Friday,sat, sunday morning with all the ceremonies. Then head back to Prague Sunday and do like dinner and Jazz sunday night. Then Monday do Prague Castle.... some musuems, shopping and an opera that night- then fly home Tuesday morning.

ANything else we should add in? Should we spend Thursday night in Prague and go to Rudice on Friday morning? What would work best for you guys? we're flexible and want to be able to see as much as we can when we are there, while also spending enough time in town and with everyone there- since that is the main reason for going and our main focus...........


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## flakhappy (Jun 21, 2009)

Thanks for the story, Seesul. Parts of it I had never heard. It is wrong only in one respect, however. The ball gunner never got out of his turret until I and a couple others opened the turret and pulled him out onto the ground. In the picture you can see the ball entry door is open and lying on the ground. One can only imagine what was going through that guy's mind on the way home, not being able to talk to anybody and not being able to move the turret.


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## seesul (Jun 22, 2009)

To all who don´t know about this story Flakhappy means a 2ndBG 'Sweat Pea' story that is described in this thread.
Many many thanks Flakhappy.!


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## seesul (Jan 21, 2010)

seesul said:


> Just to continue- Francis Flynn bailed out through the bomb bay. One of the 20 mm shells that exploded in the cockpit wounded him badly on his back.
> He landed near the small village Petruvka, some 3 miles away from Slavicin and stood unconscious. Local people found him there. They saw also another parachute falling down so the ran this direction to find the friend of badly wounded American. They found him in the woods. He was hiding there as he didn´t know it the people are Germans or Czechs. This airmen turned to be my friend Joseph P. Owsianik. The people somehow told Joe that there´s his friend very close that needs a help so Joe gave up escape to the east and went with the people. When met Francis Flynn he asked the people for the stretcher. People brought the stretcher from the fire house: Joe loaded Flynn on the stretcher and with the help of the people they brought him to the fire house. There Joe opened the escape maps and asked the people for the location. At the same moment a German officer entered the room and yelled : Raus! Raus! (get out). All the people dissapeared and only Joe, Francis and the German soldiers stood there. Germans stripped Joe off and were trying to find out if he is a Jew. If so, the would execute him.
> Then they gave some clothes back to Joe and escorted him to the jail in Slavicin. Francis Flynn was transported to the hospital in Brno where he was operated. Later he underwent several opearations in Germany before the WW2 was over.
> Francis Flynn has visited Slavicin in 1994 with another crew members, since that there are no news about him.
> ...



I said there are no news about Fran Flynn since 1994 when he visited my born town but it´s not true anymore since yesterday!
One friend of mine found his children and they told us Fran is still living which is really amazing news! He lives in rest home close to Orlando, Florida. We found the correct phone number and Loy Dickinson (former 2nd BG vets assn president and Fran´s navigator form that fateful day) called him yesterday!
Looking forward to additional news and will send a letter to Fran as soon as possible.
Sooo happy!


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## Njaco (Jan 21, 2010)

Great news Roman!


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## Airframes (Jan 21, 2010)

That's brilliant news Roman! After 65 years, to know these people are stll with us, and still hold dear their memories of Slavicin and the people and area around it, is very heart warming.


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## seesul (Jan 21, 2010)

It really is. And futhermore, last August there were 8 'Mission 263' survivors. One of them passed in Dec 4, 2009 so the number was reduced to 7. I got in touch with him 2 weeks before he passed away...
Now is 8 again. I would never belive it!

Anyway, we will start to work on our website project in February so I hope in May it will be finished. If not, August is the deadline!


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## Airframes (Jan 21, 2010)

Great to here Roman. Keep me posted on progress with the web-site.


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## seesul (Jan 21, 2010)

I will. Tomorrow I have a meeting with a friend of mine due to the websites. At 'Talafa' pub, where else


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## Airframes (Jan 21, 2010)

Ah, Talafa! Boy do I miss that place.....roll on August!!


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## seesul (Jan 22, 2010)




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## rybodeb (Jan 29, 2012)

Hi, Flakhappy, I read one of your post saying that you were there when Sweet Pea made her way home. I am a daughter of co-pilot Thomas Rybovich, and 
wondered if you might remember him? Sweet Pea was not his regular plane, but we know nothing about his plane or crew. I have a lot of his records, including missions, but he was not a man for talk, so little else. Is there anyone around still that might know? Also wonder why no one talks about Shot at and Missed, by Jack R. Meyers, which has lots of these missions, I can find 6 that match Thomas'. Really, I would be happy to know most anything about those days. Thanks
Debby


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## Guy Miller (Oct 16, 2019)

seesul said:


> The 2nd Bomb Group
> 
> Plane 38078 on Mission 279
> 
> ...





rybodeb said:


> Hi, Flakhappy, I read one of your post saying that you were there when Sweet Pea made her way home. I am a daughter of co-pilot Thomas Rybovich, and
> wondered if you might remember him? Sweet Pea was not his regular plane, but we know nothing about his plane or crew. I have a lot of his records, including missions, but he was not a man for talk, so little else. Is there anyone around still that might know? Also wonder why no one talks about Shot at and Missed, by Jack R. Meyers, which has lots of these missions, I can find 6 that match Thomas'. Really, I would be happy to know most anything about those days. Thanks
> Debby


Hi Debbie. I am Guy Miller’s son. He was the pilot with your father, the copilot when it was almost destroyed. I have attached a rare photo on the web with the nose art of Sweet Pea and our fathers. Regards, Guy Miller.

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## Snautzer01 (Oct 16, 2019)

B-17G 42-38078 "Sweet Pea" 2nd Bomb Group, 429th BS after direct hit by flak | World War Photos


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## Snautzer01 (Oct 16, 2019)

Fold 3
42-38078 Sweet Pea in the air. Apparently also flying shuttle raids to Russia. Assigned to 2nd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force -- crashlanded 21st Sept 44 (3KIA + 1WIA) ; repaired and flown as a hack plane but later crashed at Bari on 1st June 1945 and burned.

Mind boggling...The repaired it..... It flew again


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## Snautzer01 (Oct 16, 2019)

Fold 3


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## Snautzer01 (Oct 16, 2019)

Fold 3


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## Wurger (Oct 16, 2019)




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## Snautzer01 (Oct 16, 2019)

Sweet Pea was a B-17G-25-DL build by Douglas at the Long Beach plant.

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## fubar57 (Oct 23, 2019)




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