James J. Valley                                                                                     Updated: 10 APR 2014

Airman: v999077.htm Surname: Valley Init: J V Rank: Priv Service: USAAF Sqdn: 729

P_link: p282.htm Plane: B17 42-32070 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Ryde at Græshave

Crash_d: d090444 Buried_d: v999 C_link: v999.htm At_Next: EVD to S

  Mere end 500 amerikanske bombefly var den 9. april 1944 på bombetogt til Polen og Tyskland. Se 8 af de tabte fly:  Google Map 9APR1944.
Den korte version: Den 9. april 1944 blev B17 42-32070 ramt af flak over målet, da det var på bombetogt til Poznan her. På vejen tilbage blev flyet angrebet af tyske jagere og nødlandede omkring her ved Ryde på Lolland. Alle 10 flyvere overlevede. 4 af dem nåede Sverige med hjælp fra mange danskere. Se Google Map p282 B17-4232070.

Se den lange version med det fulde citat fra Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift.

"Left Waist Gunner Pvt James J. Valley og Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Mansfield Hooper fik derimod hurtigt kontakt med hjælpsomme personer i området, og med bistand fra bl.a. elektriker Gerhard Krogh fra Maribo (her) kom de efter nogle dage til København. Her boede de en uges tid hos forfatteren Halfdan Rasmussen, før de blev udskibet til Sverige, og den 29. april var de velbeholdent tilbage i England.”  (FT 86-91-26)
Se Halfdan Rasmussen og 2 flyvere og artiklen De satte livet på spil over Sjælland, trykt i en del Sjællandske Medier 9. april 2014.

Se tegning af besætningen på en B-17, Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk samt B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition og Ball Turret Gunner. 10 flyvere.

On 9 April 1944 more than 500 American bombers were on a bombing raid on Poland and Germany. See 8 of the lost planes: Google Map 9APR1944.
The short version: On 9 April 1944 B17 42-32070 was hit by flak over the target, when it was on a bombing raid to Poznan here. On the return flight it was attacked by German fighters and made a forced landing about here at Ryde on Lolland. All 10 airmen survived.
4 of them reached Sweden with the help of many Danes. See Google Map p282 B17-4232070.

See the long version with the complete quotation from (Danish) Aviation Historical Review (Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift) and Halfdan Rasmussen and 2 airmen.

"On the other hand Left Waist Gunner Pvt James J. Valley and Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Mansfield Hooper quickly got into touch with helpful persons in the area, and assisted by among others Gerhard Krogh, the electrician, from Maribo (here) they arrived in Copenhagen after some days. Here they stayed with Halfdan Rasmussen, the author, for about a week until they were sent by ship to Sweden, and on 29 April they returned to England safe and sound.”  (FT 86-91-26)
See Halfdan Rasmussen and 2 airmen.

See a drawing of the crew of a B-17, Photo of  a B-17 + B-17s in airmen.dk and B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner.
This B-17 belonged to 729 BS, 452 BG, 45 CBW, 3 BD, 8 AF. It took off from Deopham Green Airfield - RAF Deopham Green - USAAF Station 142. 10 airmen.