Messed Up B-17 (WWII)

[DaveM2]

All - does anyone have any info relating to this photo?

TIA
Dave

[lmritger]

All - does anyone have any info relating to this photo?

TIA
Dave

42-39867 "Hang The Expense IV" of the 351st BS, 100th BG. This is one of the best-known 100th BG Forts because of this incident... and as improbable as it sounds, the tail gunner actually SURVIVED being physically blown out of the aircraft. 867 was repaired and placed back into service, and met her fate with thousands of other valiant Forts at the hands of the scrap merchants back home in the US.

More info:

http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/history/history3/valesh1.htm

http://www.100thbg.com/mainmenus/351st/351st04.htm

Cheers,

Lynn

[JDK]

... and as improbable as it sounds, the tail gunner actually SURVIVED being physically blown out of the aircraft.

WOW! I looked at that before I read your note and was certain he was a gonner!

[DaveM2]

Lynn

Excellent, many thanks. I bet if Lotto was around at that time he would have gone out and grabbed a few tickets after surviving that! Perhaps he became a Priest

Dave

[hang the expense]

Pilot was BIG Frank Valesh.One of the most colorful members of the 100th bomb group.He managed to go through 7 B-17s and one courts martial to finish his 35 missions.He was one lucky guy.My avatar is a painting of this bird coming in shot to H E L L.Not much is known of his life after the war which is a shame.I believe he died in 1994 or 5 and had been married for 2 years at the time of his death.

[bcmj]

Checked the links above and found this.

"This is one of the 100th's greatest photographs. "HANG the EXPENSE" is back in England, the East Church fighter base. This was the Jan 24, 1944 Frankfurt mission in which Roy Urich was blown out of "HANG the EXPENSE" tail section. Urich, to everyone's surprise survived and became a POW. Legend has it the 100th crews saw Roy hurling through the formation still in his seat and his guns still firing. Dick Johnson Collection"

[ZeamerB17]

Great story, ammo boxes look to be absent in the photo so they were pulled out with Roy and the stinger, the legend has the ring of truth to it -what a ride! Imagine living that, wish he had been interviewed, I wonder if Roy is still with us? Just participated in video interview of 384th BG tailgunner and POW Jack Kushner and he had plenty o' tales to tell!

I checked the 100th BG site's Taps link and he is not listed, so it's possible he's still alive. I would love to hear the story from the man himself.

[ZeamerB17]

I also posted a question about Mr. Urich on the 100th's Facebook page. I will link the response, if any.

[fotobass]

There's a project for someone...