Recherche info soldat usa (wwii), perdu sur nara

Bonjour,

Il y a quelque mois j'ai commencé des recherches pour retrouver des différents groupes de résistances de mon canton.
Et après plusieurs rencontres avec des personnes agès, j'ai appris que le docteur de mon village des années 35-45 a récupèré un aviateur américain.
J'ai réussi a trouver un court rapport américain sur ce soldat avec son nom et matricule.
Je suis allé sur NARA pour la première fois mais je n'arrive pas à trouver la " rubrique" identification, si quelqu'un peut m'aider ou me trouver plus d'information sur ce soldat ou encore des sites ou je pourais effectuer des recherches.

Il se nomme Risch Elmer (Sgt), 38173848, son avion a été abattu le 30 décembre 1943.
Je croix également qu'il a été évacué sur l'opération bonaparte 4


Merci d'avance.
Salutations et bon appétit

y'a un problème avec le matricule que tu donnes
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&bc=,sl,fd&txt_24994=+38173848&op_24994=0&nfo_24994=V,8,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=7176407

ton type est là
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&bc=,sl,fd&txt_24995=risch+elmer&op_24995=0&nfo_24995=V,24,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=7176403

Merci beaucoup raider,

Pourtant c'est cette matricule là dans le rapport américain.
A t-on avis je peut arriver à retrouver de la famille de ce soldat (il doit être mort je pense, vu son âge 98ans)

RISCH, ELMER
04 May 1913
Dec 1956

DCD à 43 ans, tu ne trouveras rien

Salut,

Il y a sûrement eu une erreur lors de l'écriture du rapport car il n'y a qu'un chiffre qui change.

On en parle ici:

http://www.evasioncomete.org/fbergerlf.html
http://www.accident-report.com/crews/alpha/namerio_rz.html
http://www.8thairforce.com/44thbg/search/legacy.asp?perIdentification=21814
http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=71

J'ai aussi trouvé ça:

30 December 1943
Ludwigshaven, Germany
The primary target there was the Chemical Works of I.G. Farben-industries which was bombed
via PFF method through clouds. One aircraft did not return. 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties 30 December 1943
Page 174 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
66th SQUADRON:
66th Sq., #42-7548 I, Heskett BULL O’ THE WOODS MACR #1752
66th Squadron Crew:
HESKETT, DONALD J. Pilot lst Lt. Junction City,
ASN 0-530727 Evadee, returned Kansas
BILLINGS, JAMES R. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Guthrie,
ASN 0-676728 KIA, buried Epinal (A-20-41) Oklahoma
RENDALL, WILLIAM A. Navigator 1st Lt. Buffalo,
ASN 0-678767 Evadee, POW New York
ZIELENKIEWICZ, ADOLPH Bombardier 1st Lt. Chicago,
ASN 0-735010 Evadee, returned Illinois
RISCH, ELMER D. Engineer T/Sgt. New Orleans,
ASN 38173842 Evadee, returned 20 March 44 Louisiana
SYMONS, EUGENE Radio Oper. T/Sgt. Oil City,
ASN 33348877 Evadee, returned Pennsylvania
LANGCASKEY, STANLEY G. Ball Turret S/Sgt. Trenton,
ASN 12132225 Evadee, returned New Jersey
BLITZ, AULIS L. RW Gunner S/Sgt. Baltimore,
ASN 33204357 KIA, buried Epinal (B-22-53) Maryland
CREGGER, CHARLES W. LW Gunner Sgt. Nebs,
ASN 7023872 Evadee, returned Virginia
MILLER, GEORGE R. Tail Turret S/Sgt. Woodbine,
ASN 33237069 Evadee, returned 20 March 44 Pennsylvania
1st Lt. Donald J. Heskett was the pilot of this plane. The MACR included this account by Sgt.
Elmer D. Risch, engineer: “I knew this crew quite well due to a shortage of engineers and top
turret gunners. I made two missions with them: one was Kjeller and then this mission to
Ludwigshaven. Our load was fire bombs and both bomb bays were loaded full with the 80 or 90
pound type. Just before crossing the Channel, I pulled all the arming pins myself so the bombs
were armed and ready to go off on contact.
“We were hit by enemy fighters at 3 o’clock, a little higher than level. I was in the top turret
facing the rear. As they came in, they gave us the works, one behind the other. We were flying
high and on the outside of the formation. Bullets were ricocheting because I was hit in the left
leg twice and the left heel from the rear, or front of the plane.
“The pilot soon gave orders to ‘Prepare to bail out’ on the interphone, so I left the turret and the
interphone system. I opened the bomb bay doors and stood on the catwalk. When the radio
operator (Symons) started to come to me, and I saw Lt. Heskett leave his seat, I went overboard.
I never saw Lt. Billings, and I never saw anything in the waist of the plane. I never saw anyone
of the crew or heard about them until I got back to England.
“When in France, I was told that two planes had crashed in that neighborhood. The name of the
plane (I was on) was BULL O’ THE WOODS with a large bull painted on the left front side,
snorting smoke. I made a free fall in my chute and didn’t pull the ripcord until I went through the
clouds. Then, in a matter of seconds, I was on the ground. I did not see the plane crash…”
William A. Rendall, navigator, added to the story, “The original Heskett crew was assigned to
the 66th Sq. on 14 August 1943. Don Heskett had been a Flight Officer, came up from the ranks, 30 December 1943 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties
July 2005 edition www.44thbombgroup.com Page 175
and was married. Ed Risch was flying as a replacement for Chocklett, who was otherwise
scheduled that day. We had been assigned to do some GEE-Box training, but were called for
briefing on very short notice. Sgt. Elmer D. Risch was flying as a replacement that day for our
engineer, who was being court marshalled that day for decking an MP in Norwich.
“As I recall, we were about 14 minutes across the coast in Abbeville Country when Heskett
moved from the box to fill in an open spot on Coffin Corner, due to an abortion at the coast. He
swung a little too wide and that was a signal for an attack from 3 o’clock by three FW 190s. Blitz
was killed instantly on the first pass and Miller took a metal fragment through his elbow.
Controls were damaged on the right side, and we started losing altitude in a slow turn.
“Heskett rang the bail out bell, and I was not able to get any answer on the interphone, so I
started through the tunnel to go up on deck, but found that the bail-out dinghy in the passageway
had snapped onto the pocket of my leather flying trousers. I finally got the other snap of the
dinghy free from its ring, and went out the nose wheel door with the dinghy still attached to me.
“It was a difficult free fall with that darn dinghy slapping around, and I had to open up higher
than comfortable. When the chute opened, the pocket with the escape kit left along with the
dinghy.
“Langcaskey, after getting Miller out of the plane, had one of the most amazing escape stories I
have ever heard. But Langcaskey has since died of a coronary. Heskett walked out through
Portugal. I went back to France in 1972, and back to the crash site to recover some of the pieces
of BULL O’ THE WOODS. I learned that Billing’s body was recovered at the crash site, as was
Blitz’s, and they had been buried side by side by the French until they were moved to Epinal, at
the American Cemetery.
Note: For Stanley Langcaskey’s story, see the 2nd Air Division Association’s “News Letter” dated June 1975,
page 3, story by William R. Robertie.
“We all landed within two miles of the crash site near Chavigny, north of Soisson. Don Heskett
set a speed record for return to the base; but for me, I made the mistake of showing off my
college French to the chief of the first Resistance Group that I contacted (and who was a Chief of
Police). He then found me very useful in moving English and American airmen. On June 19th,
1944 the Gestapo got me in France…”
In another letter, Rendall noted: “We were hit by ME 109s as we moved to low, outside wing, 14
minutes over the French Coast, going in. The BULL O’ THE WOODS crashed north of Soisson,
near Chavigny, with Sgt. Blitz, waist gunner, and who was killed on first pass, and Lt. Billings
(reason unknown) still aboard. Most of the parachutes fell within a two-mile radius of the plane.
“A French family helped me across the river at Soisson on New Year’s Eve and I walked SE by
night for ten days. After I made contact with an organized group of the French Resistance, I was
active in an evacuation program for airmen and refugees until the Gestapo infiltrated on 19 June
1944. Then Chalons-Sur-Marne and Fersnes Prison in Paris before evacuation to Germany.
Finally made a Military POW at Stalag Luft III (Sagan). It was over run by the Russian Front on
1/30/45. Then a long march to Moosburg and liberated by 14th Armored Division 30 April
1945.”
Some details are available on the evasions of Cregger, Heskett, Langcaskey, Miller, and Risch.
Risch was first in contact with the “Burgundy” escape line (reseau Bourgogne) and then was
handed over to the “Shelburne” line (as was Sgt. Cregger). The former came out of France by 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties 30 December 1943
Page 176 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
boat on the night of March 19/20, 1944 (Operation Bonaparte IV) and the latter on the night of
March 16/17, 1944 (Bonaparte III). Heskett was on the first Bonaparte Operation on the night of
January 28/29, 1944. Stan Langcaskey was a “Burgundy” evader too, but like most of the Allied
airmen who made it back to England with his organization, he crossed the Pyrenees Mountains.
Miller possibly was involved with “Burgundy” also, but this is not confirmed.


J’espère t’avoir aidé.

Stef

Photo du nez de l'avion:

Merci beaucoup Stef
Je vais avancer un grand pas (et améliorer mon anglais par la même occassion)

Salutations

Réponses rapides, claires et concises
Du super taff !
Bravo aux intervenants, et bon courage David !

Merci manstein,
je vous tiendrais au courant