2nd Lt Edward Tully

Familial History:

2nd Lt Edward Tully was born 30 June 1921 to Sarah Valencia and Albert Tully, in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. He had graduated from Tucson High School and attended The University of Arizona. In 1930, the family was residing at 109 W. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona. In 1940, they had moved to North 9th Street in Tucson. His death was reported on 24 May 1944 as his plane crashed into the North Sea.

On 10 September 1942 he was joined in marriage to Irene Blanche Mariscal of Tucson. She was born 23 May 1921 to Aurora Lopez and Robert Mariscal in Calexico, Imperial County, California and died 7 October 1977.

His Mother, Sarah Valencia was born 1 August 1889 in Tucson, Arizona and passed away during September 1973 in Arizona. She was buried in the Holy Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum located in Tucson, Arizona. The Plot was Section B and the Memorial # 123368787. She was married to Albert on 16 May 1908 in Tucson.

Mr. Albert B. Tully was born 21 January 1886 to Adela and Carlos Hoppin Tully in Tucson, Arizona. He died during October 1971 in Tucson and was buried in the Holy Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum located in Tucson. The Plot was Section B and the Memorial # 123368715.

The Tully’s had three children who survived into adulthood. Nine other children were born that perished.

Edward’s sister, Maria Francisca “Frances” Ocampo was born 6 April 1911 in Tucson, Arizona. She passed away 11 April 1989 in San Diego, California. The data concerning her husband (Ocampo) was missing.

Brother Joe was born 31October 1916 and passed away 16 September 1998. He was buried along with his family in the Holy Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum in Tucson. The Memorial # was 198582372.

He entered into marriage on 24 December 1940 to Gloria Elizabeth Dailey in Maricopa County, Arizona. She was born 16 April 1921 in Pima County, Arizona to Juanita Herrera and Frank Dailey and died during 1989 in San Diego, California. She was interred into the South Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona. The Memorial # 97028972.

Service History:

2nd Lt Edward Tully enlisted into the US Army Air Corps and was given Service Number O-816675.

After basic training he was assigned to the 711th Bomber Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, Heavy. His specialty was as a Co-Pilot. He was Killed in Action during a bombing mission to Berlin, Germany.

The 447th flew B-17 Flying Fortresses out of Rattlesden, Suffolk, England (USAAF Station 126). Their first mission was on Christmas Eve 1943. The focus was reducing enemy strength in ports, missile sites, airfields and marshalling yards in Belgium, France, and Germany. This was in conjunction with the planned Operation Overlord initiated on 6 June 1944 in Normandy. Just before the invasion, they flew missions targeting airfields and other areas near the beachhead, although the German aircraft industry was a priority.

2nd Lt Edward Tully was a crew member of the B-17G #42-102494. After his death on 24 May 1944 the US Army Air Corps completed the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) # 5249. The report stated that they got caught in the prop wash of other planes ahead of them near St. Peter, Holland, and crashed into the North Sea. All nine crew members died in the crash.

The 711th Bomb Squadron entered England during November 1943 and was assigned to the Eighth Air Force.

The Crew of B-17G #42-102494 was:

Ball Gun: SSGT Clyde G. Chastain 14184716 Alabama

Radio Op: TSGT Herman J. Grimm 20610365 Illinois

Tail Gun: SSGT Gene W. Minton 20803788 Texas

R Waist G: SSGT William C. Nicholas 39199260 Washington

Bomb: 1st Lt Ralph M. Pittman O-661024 Kentucky

Pilot: 2nd Lt Ralph R. Simon O-748467 Wisconsin

Navig: 2nd Lt Joseph M, Teixeira, Jr. O-6881330 Massachusetts

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt Edward Tully O-816675 Arizona

Top Gun: TSGT John D. Urdia, Jr. 19064091 Ohio

He was memorialized in the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liege, Liege, Belgium. The Plot was D, Row 16, Grave 17, and the Memorial # 56361360. The headstone request was signed by his Father Albert Tully residing at 2241 East Silver Street, Tucson.

Commendations:

Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Purple Heart

Stories Behind the Stars:

Thank you, 2nd Lt Edward Tully of the US Army Air Corps, for your sacrifice and service to our country.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII Fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen’ s name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you can contact the author, Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by”.

The author is Dr. Jack W. Chisum and the email is jchisum@q.com

Resources:

Edward Tully : Second Lieutenant from Arizona, World War II Casualty (honorstates.org)

2Lt Edward Tully (unknown-1944) - Find a Grave Memorial

Mike Tully's Internet Column

42-102494 | American Air Museum in Britain

711th Bomb Squadron | American Air Museum in Britain

Edward Tully | American Air Museum in Britain

Project honors 142 Tucson High alumni who died in World War II | Local news | tucson.com

Rattlesden - Wikipedia

A Walk Through History – Rattlesden Airfield, Suffolk | 8th in the East (8theast.org)

RAF Rattlesden - Wikipedia

Aircraft Page 3 (447bg.com)

Microsoft Word - M1380.doc (archives.gov)

May 1944 USAAF Missing Air Crew Reports (aviationarchaeology.com)

Missing Air Crew Reports May 194 (accident-report.com)