Roy Eisele Crew

42-38204 (No name) (360BS PU-H - Missions 119, 128, 129 (Spare)
42-107048 (No name) (360BS) PU-M - 21 missions (131, 132(A), 133(Spare), 134, 135, 136, 140, 141, 142, 148, 151, 161, 163 (A), 164, 167, 170, 171, 174, 175, 176, 178 (MIA))
42-31432 (P) Old Glory (360BS) PU-N - Mission 121
42-97552 ---- The Road Back (360BS) PU-O - Missions 124, 126, 127
42-31177 ---- Lonesome Polecat (360BS) PU-L - Mission 125 (A)
42-31386 (P) Sky Duster aka Woof (359BS) BN-W - Mission 138
42-31421 (P) Spirit of Wanette (427BS) GN-U - Missions 137A (ASR)
42-37841 (P) Banshee (360BS) PU-P - Missions 143, 165, 177
42-37875 (P) Empress of "D" Street aka Flying Bison (427BS) GN-A - Mission 144 (A)
42-97284 (P) Ain't Misbehavin (359BS) BN-S - Mission 145
42-31340 (P) Miss Liberty (360BS) PU-D - Mission 150
(P) See Nose Art Photos

Crew Notes - Original crewmen

1Lt Roy Eisele (P)(KIA) - 30 credited missions flown. First mission (119) as CoPilot with 1Lt John C. Lawlor, Jr. as Combat Orientation Pilot. All other missions flown as First Pilot. KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178)
2Lt Louis F. Girard (CP)(KIA) - 30 credited missions flown: With 1Lt Eisele (All Eisele missions except 119 and 161) Substitute Co Pilot, 2Lt Leonard M. Brown on mission 161; 2 missions with other Pilots - 1Lt John C. Lawlor, Jr. (120), 2Lt Paul H. Long (161). Was upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on orders dated 16 June 1944 four days after he was killed on mission 178. Flew no missions as First Pilot. KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178).
2Lt Murray Schenker (N)(KIA) - 30 credited missions flown all with 1Lt Eisele. KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178).
2Lt Melvin Gladstone (B)(KIA) - 28 credited missions flown: 27 with 1Lt Eisele (All Eisele missions except 136, 137A (ASR),140 and 141 where substitute Bombardiers used); With another Pilot - 1Lt Donald M. Johnston (173). KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178).
T/Sgt Louis M. Crowley (E)(KIA), S/Sgt Ralph Millard (R)(KIA),Sgt Efrain Longoria (BTG)(KIA), 29 credited missions flown (All of 1Lt Eisele missions except 119 where substitute crewmen were used). KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178).
S/Sgt Edward J. Vallee (TG)(POW) - 29 credited missions flown (All of 1Lt Eisele missions except 119 where a substitute crewman was used). POW on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178) - only crewman to parachute from the stricken B-17.
S/Sgt Richard L. Bell (WG)(KIA) - 23 credited missions flown: 22 with 1Lt Eisele (All Eisele missions except 119 where a substitute crewmen was used and seven credited missions (161, 163 (A), 164, 165, 167, 170, 171, 174 where only one Waist Gunner was used); With 1Lt Earl W. Thomas (172).
T/Sgt Joseph A. Czerwonka (WG) - 59 credited missions flown: 2 with 1Lt Eisele as Waist Gunner (121, 124); Was then Transferred from 360th BS to 427th BS and flew 57 credited missions with other 427BS Pilots as Waist Gunner (WG) - 6 missions , as Ball Turret Gunner (BTG) - 50 missions and Tail Gunner (TG) - 1 mission. 3 with 1Lt Steve Lingo as RWG (166, 168, 170), 3 with 2Lt Chester E. Flick as LWG (172, 174, 175), 8 with 2Lt Donald W. Keating as BTG (202, 203, 208, 209, 211, 214, 215), 4 with 2Lt Richard R. Johnson as BTG (218, 220, 222, 223), 23 with Lt James W. O'Leary as BTG (235, 236, 237, 239, 243, 244, 246, 247, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 262, 263, 265, 266, 271, 273, 275, 277, 283), 11 with 1Lt William H. Petersen (313, 314, 315, 316, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 333) and 5 missions with 5 other Pilots - As BTG (164, 212, 221, 227), As TG (165). Completed first combat tour on 27 September 1944 (32 missions). Volunteered for a second combat tour and completed 27 additional missions on 10 March 1945 (Mission 333).

Crew Notes - Substitute Waist Gunners

S/Sgt Raymond K. Butler (WG/TG/BTG) - Completed 31 dispatched (27 credited) missions: 7 dispatched(4 credited) missions with 1Lt Eisele as Waist Gunner (127, 128, 129(A), 131, 132(A), 133 (Spare), 134); 24 dispatched (23 credited) missions with other Pilots - 23 dispatched (22 credited) missions with 1Lt John C. Lawlor, Jr. as Tail Gunner (83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 91, 93, 95, 98(A), 99, 100, 101, 103, 104, 105, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 120, 121, 122), 1 credited missions with 2Lt Joseph E. Stevens as Ball Turret Gunner (125. Completed combat tour (27 credited missions) on 11 April 1944 (Mission 134).
S/Sgt Szymon A. Friedman (WG)(KIA)* - Completed 37 dispatched (27 credited) missions: 27 dispatched (23 credited) missions with 1Lt Eisele (125, 126, 135, 136, 137A (ASR), 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144 (A), 145, 148, 150, 151, 161, 163 (A), 164, 165, 167, 170, 171, 174, 171, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 (KIA); 10 dispatched (7 credited) missions with other Pilots (91, 92(A), 106, 107, 109 (A), 112, 115, 116, 117(A), 172). KIA on 12 June 1944 (Mission 178) with 1Lt Eisele crew. Buried in the Normandy American Cemetery near Coleville-sur-Mer, France.

Mission Note:

12 June 1944 (Mission 178) to Cambrai/Epinoy, France in B-17G 42-107048 (No name) (360BS) PU-M. Was flying as a wingman in the #2 position, high element, high group. Was hit by flak between the #2 engine and fuselage approximately one minute before "bombs away." Another flak burst hit directly in the bomb bay. The entire B-17 burst into flames, nosed down sharply, broken in half near the open bomb bay doors, and lost the left wing. Other crews spotted it until approximately 1,000 ft altitude. The B-17 crashed near Cambrai, France. Missing Aircrew Report 5226. The Tail Gunner, S/Sgt Edward J. Vallee managed to parachute from the B-17 and became a POW. The other nine crewmen were killed in Action.

[photo courtesy of Col. Walter K. Shayler]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]