Harry E Roach Jr

Military

Evaded. Shot down 1 May 1943 in B-17 42-5780 'Black Swan' on a mission to UBoat yards at St. Nazaire, France. A/C exploded and crashed near St. Pere-en-Retz where a monument was erected in 1984. 6 Killed in Action (KIA). 3 Prisoner of War (POW) and Roach evaded arriving back in England 29 June 1943. He had been helped by French resistence and walked 250 miles to be led over the Pyrennees. Returned to England, he was hospitalized for leg injuries. He briefed air crews on escape and evasion. He returned to the US for pilot training in 1944.

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-5780

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Black Swan
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Evaded

1 May 1943

Born

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added "Possible DUPLICATE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15727, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hayes, p. 113, 303rd BG web site