Roy's Family
Roy Eisele was born to John Matthew Eisele and Elsie (Knorr) on April 10, 1923. According to the 1930 Census, Roy had a big family. In addition to his parents, he lived with older siblings Florence, Ewald and Anamarie and one younger siblings, John. It also looks like his grandfather August Knorr also lived in the household too. Also from the 1930 Census, it is interesting to note that both his parents were immigrants. His father was born in Germany and John Matthew's parents were also born in Germany. Elsie was born in Russia but her parents were also born in Germany. Also, their native language was also German. Lastly, from the 1930s Census, it states that Roy's father owned his own tailor shop.
The 1940 census states similar information from the 1930 census, however, it appears the family moved. The 1940 census reveals that the family lived at the Halldale Avenue residence which is listed on Roy's military Headstone & Internment Record (which is found in the Military Service section below).
While Roy's enlistment record indicates that he was single without dependents in 1942, a wedding annoucement was made in the Los Angeles Times in 1943 stating that he married Beatrice May Cramer. It looks like they were married in Texas, likely where he was stationed. Ancestry.com records also state that Roy had a son in March of 1944. His son is also named, "Roy." It is highly unlikely that Roy ever got to meet and hold his son, since he would have already been in Europe at that time. Roy's Military Career
His enlistment records state that he volunteered for service on April 13, 1942, just 2 days after his 19th birthday. Enlistment records also state that he had 4 years of high school, was previously employed as a sales clerk and was 70 inches tall and weighed 140 lbs. Because he had finished high school, it allowed him to enter as an officer and specialize in aviation.
He, along with the rest of the 303rd were stationed at Molesworth, England. The 303rd had earned the nickname, "Hell's Angels" as it was a B-17 with the same name was the first in the unit to fly twenty-five credited missions. Eisele was dispatched 37 missions, and flew 30 credited. Among one of his non-credited missions was a rescue operation in which no survivors were found. The other six non-credited missions were either aborted or there was a mechanical failure of the plane. Roy's 1st mission was on the 8th of March 1944. On this mission Roy performed the duty of the co-pilot and had the rank of a 2nd Leiutenant. This mission was a "successful attack on the Luftwaffe" (mission report # 119, page 1). |
For mission reports, go to:
http://www.303rdbg.com/missions.html Roy's Mission Numbers: 119 (8 March 1944), 121, 124, 125 (A), 126, 127, 128, 129 (Spare), 131, 132 (A), 133 (Spare), 134, 135, 136, 137A (ASR), 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144 (A), 145, 148, 150, 151, 161, 163 (A), 164, 165, 167, 170, 171, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 (MIA)(12 June 1944). Roy's first mission: #119 http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/119.pdf Roy's last mission: #178 http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/178.pdf |
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The image to the left, was uncovered from the National Archives. In it, it shows that Roy was injured in a crash landing (without fire) and his foot was wounded. This report states that it was January of 1944 and his first official flight of the war was in March of 1944, so this injury must have occurred during training.
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Roy's Final Mission
Roy's final mission was performed on D-Day +6. "Aircraft #42-107048 (No Name), 360BS, piloted by 1Lt. Roy Eisele...was hit by flak between the No. 2 engine and fuselage, approximately one minute before "bombs away." Another burst hit directly in the bomb bay and the entire B-17 burst into flames, nosed down sharply, broke in half near the bomb bay door and lost its left wing. Crewmen in other aircraft spotted it until approximately 1,000 feet altitude near Cambrai,France. No parachutes were seen" (mission report, pages 1-2). However, when examining each pilot's report in the National Archives, one pilot reports seeing a parachute from the tail of the plane. S/Sgt. Edward J. Vallee managed to escape the plane and became a POW (prisoner of war). The plane did end up crashing near Cambrai and there is a memorial for the Eisele Crew there. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Three Oak Leaf Clusters for his service.
In Memory of Roy
This was the eulogy that I wrote and delivered on June 25, 2013, sixty-nine years after his passing:
For me, June 12th, 1944 is a memorable day. June 12, was the day that the 350th bomber squadron of the 303rd bomb group conducted a mission containing various targets in France in which 1st Lt. Roy Eisele lost his life when his plane was hit by flak. In the ultimate scope of the war his death seems insignificant, however we must honor the life, and the death of this heroic man.
Roy was born on April, 10th 1923 to John Matthew and Elsie Eisele. He was one of five, having two older sisters, Florence and Anamarie, an older brother Ewald and younger brother John. When the war started, it was doubtless to say that he did not want to leave his family, but this was not the only monumental choice he had to make. Roy most likely would have qualified to fight in the German Military, being of German descent. In the end, he decided to leave and fight for the country he was born in and loved. Through out his military service, Eisele received the distinguished flying cross and an air medal with three oak leaf clusters.
I never had the honor of meeting Roy Eisele, but I feel as though I have met him in spirit. It is hard to fathom this kind of connection that a person can have regarding someone who died so long ago. But he lived, he existed, and will always be there as a warmth within my heart.
For me, June 12th, 1944 is a memorable day. June 12, was the day that the 350th bomber squadron of the 303rd bomb group conducted a mission containing various targets in France in which 1st Lt. Roy Eisele lost his life when his plane was hit by flak. In the ultimate scope of the war his death seems insignificant, however we must honor the life, and the death of this heroic man.
Roy was born on April, 10th 1923 to John Matthew and Elsie Eisele. He was one of five, having two older sisters, Florence and Anamarie, an older brother Ewald and younger brother John. When the war started, it was doubtless to say that he did not want to leave his family, but this was not the only monumental choice he had to make. Roy most likely would have qualified to fight in the German Military, being of German descent. In the end, he decided to leave and fight for the country he was born in and loved. Through out his military service, Eisele received the distinguished flying cross and an air medal with three oak leaf clusters.
I never had the honor of meeting Roy Eisele, but I feel as though I have met him in spirit. It is hard to fathom this kind of connection that a person can have regarding someone who died so long ago. But he lived, he existed, and will always be there as a warmth within my heart.