B-17's that took a beating

[seesul]

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.

 

[seesul]

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...

 

[Wayne Little]

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

 

[seesul]

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!

 

[seesul]

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

 

[seesul]

hmmm, so attempt No. 2...

 

[KMeyrick]

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.

 

[Trebor]

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

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

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

 

[seesul]

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.

 

[seesul]

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?

 

[seesul]

Hi Kelly,

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

 

[seesul]

Kelly, where are you?

 

[MikeGazdik]

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.

 

[seesul]

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...

 

[Heinz]

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

 

[KMeyrick]

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

Don't change the date!

I emailed you

 

[Trebor]

um....do what now?

 

[seesul]

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.

 

[seesul]

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

Don't change the date!

I emailed you

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