Leroy Lewis Weese

Military
media-40610.jpeg UPL 40610 Leroy Weese's crew of the Lady Luck 41-29128,

Image courtesy of Parker Higby.

Object Number - UPL 40610 - Leroy Weese's crew of the Lady Luck 41-29128,

Leroy Weese was Right Waist Gunner on the 15 October 1944 mission to Cologne/Köln, Germany, on board B-24 #41-29128 with the Glen Rowe crew. Hit by Flak on the return flight, the badly damaged bomber crashed in an emergency landing attempt at the Saint-Trond Belgium airfield. Like 5 other crew members, he survived the crash. Pilot Rowe and 2 other men were killed. According to a 9 November 1944 article in the Chillicothe Gazette (Ohio), he had been seriously wounded in the crash.

Connections

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Units served with

A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group fly in formation above the clouds.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17063452 / O-769070
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 38387966
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36597649
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19100929 / O-699774
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Lady Luck
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron

Missions

The flak damaged nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 398th Bomb Group. Printed caption on reverse: '54600 AC- England- 1st lt Lawrence M De Lancey, Corvallis, Oregon, landed this B-17 safely after its nose was literally shot away by flak over Cologne, Germany. Please Credit: Official US Air Force Photo.' Printed caption on image: 'This B-17 landed safely after losing its nose to flak. US AAF Photo.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '43-38172 of 398th BG.'
  • Date: 15 October 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Bungay (Flixton) airfield, looking south, the technical site- with T2 hangar- and control tower are to the right, where the main airfield gate is also situated, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/930. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Flixton

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

16 May 1924 Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, the son of Hoadley Ira and Bessie (Blake) Weese

Enlisted

8 March 1943 Fort Benjamin Harrison, Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana

Other

sent overseas

3 July 1944 assigned to the 704th Squadron ot the 446th Bomb Group, Bungay

Other

survived the crash

15 October 1944 of badly-damaged B-24 #41-29128 at the Saint-Trond airfield, Belgium

Died

1 December 2000 Beavercreek, Greene County, Ohio
Chillicothe City, Scioto Township, Ross County, Ohio

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
US Census 1930
US Census 1940
Chillicothe Gazette, 9 November 1944
SSDI Death Index

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.446bg.com/

Leroy Lewis Weese: Gallery (1 items)