William M Alich

Military

B-24 #42-52652 'Bashful Marion'Shot down 11 May 1944 in B-24H #41-29468 'Peg O' My Heart'. Prisoner of War (POW) at Luft IV.



POW, EAME, WWII VM, GC, Am. Theater Ribbon,

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 487th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39396817 and O-691484
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Tail Gunner
Personnel of the 97th Bomb Group look out for the return of B-17 Flying Fortresses from a raid on Rouen, from the top of the Control Tower at Grafton Underwood.

 Image stamped on reverse: 'Photo Supplied Photopress Central.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'USA (BRI) CCC.' [written annotation] and '216036.' [Censor no.] 

Printed caption on reverse: 'Picture shows: Aerodrome Personnel on the Control Tower watching for the return of the planes from the raid.' Handwritten captio
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group Headquarters Squadron (490th Bomb Group) 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-309771
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group commander

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Peg O My Heart
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a 487th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Bashful Marion". The woman in the nose art is separately named ""Wrong Way" Kairis", and two names are inscribed under the cockpit window (covered by a sheet), a crewman called "Skipper" Schlemm and the crew chief, Technical Sergeant Joe Perisie. Handwritten caption on reverse: '487BG.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Bashful Marion
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron 839th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hamilton, Ohio, USA

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Tychowo, Poland 11 May 1944 Interned in POW Camp: Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to Stalag Luft 4 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added POW Camp info to the POW event from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4750 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / http://www.487thbg.org/Photos/VratnyCrew.shtml , http://www.487thbg.org/Photos/SchlemmCrew.shtml