SSGT. Richard J. Walsh was a Bombardier; an Aerial Engineer, and Gunner, with the 310th Bombardment Group; 381st Bombardment Squadron; Stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, (MTO).

His Hometown was New York City, New York.

SSGT. Richard J. Walsh was an UNCOMMON HERO. He was the Recipient of the Distunguished Flying Cross, and it is likely that he recieved it for his actions in Bringing Home; the Crippled B-25, "Lorelei"; 42-32333; with his Bare Hands. The following is the Official Press Release:

381st BS War Diary: Additional Information for May 1943
The following press release is typical of the men of the Air Corps, and brings out the way the combat crews work together as a team. 1st Lt. Henry (Hank) B. Wightman tells the story, but he gives all the credit for the ship’s safe return to his men --- he was only the Pilot in command.

FROM: Lt. Donald T. Sheehan, PRO
Hq., 47th Wing
APO 520, N.Y.

WITH MAJOR GENERAL DOOLITTLE’S STRATEGIC AIR FORCE….(May 10)-----

The safe return of the “Lorelei” (42-32333), a B-25 Mitchell, to her advanced Air Base here from Palermo, provides a modern aeronautical version of the “Leak in the Dike”. It differs, from the traditional yarn in a couple of important respects. Its locale is high in the sky and it has two heroes whose strong hands saved the situation.

Just the moment she pulled off the target, a flak burst rocked the ship. Pilot, Lt. Henry B. Wightman, Winchester, Mass., tried to pull back on the throttles and found that the cable from the propeller governor to the right engine had been severed. He also discovered the throttle cable to the left engine was in a similar condition.

It looked like either the ocean or lagging behind the rest of the formation and leaving themselves open for any enemy fighter that might come along. He informed S/Sgt. Richard J. Walsh, 500 W. 135th St., New York City, of their plight. S/Sgt. Walsh, bombardier and former aviation engineer, knew what to do but he didn’t have the required tools. First of all, he needed a Phillips screw-driver. Where he would find one, he had no idea. Unlike plumbers, the ground crew mechanics rarely leave their tools after a job. Rummaging around he found the desired implement, the only tool in the plane; providentially left there, was means for removing the panel covering the cables. He went to work. The planes speed was up enough so that there would be no trouble for about fifteen minutes.

The panel opened, S/Sgt. Walsh got a firm hold on the cables and called to the Co-Pilot, F/O Walter E. Cook, Graham, Texas, for instructions. Aided by the latter via their interphone communication system, S/Sgt. Walsh worked the cables.

Turret-gunner S/Sgt. Francis J. Fox, Hamilton, Mass., stood by ready to fill in when his buddy tired. When that occurred he went to his aid, took over the manual operation of the cables, and gave S/Sgt. Walsh a much deserved rest.

S/Sgt. Lloyd G. Porter, Jr., New Iberia, La., the radio operator, was also standing by for an emergency of this kind. So he set his radio at the frequency necessary for an SOS to the Air Sea Rescue Service, should they land in the ocean, and climbed into the turret gunner’s position to ward off enemy fighters.

With F/O Cook doing the directing, and S/Sgts. Walsh and Fox alternating on the cables they made it home along with the rest of the formation.

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SEE Newspaper Accounts

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SSGT. Richard J. Walsh was listed as MISSING In ACTION on 10 July 1943; and Officially Declared Dead, along with his fellow crew members 1 Year and 1 Day Later, 11 July 1944.

Saturday, 10 July 1943

381st BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # 126: GERBINI SATELLITE # 7, SICILY
Sqdrn. Mission # 90
Group Mission # 126
Take Off 07:19
Flight 36 B-25’s
Target 09:05
Escort 42 P-40’s.
Down 10:40
Bomb Load: (6 x 500)
Total Time: 3 Hrs. 21 Min.
Bombs Dropped: 12(6 x 500), 36,000#
Total Sorties: 553
Average Altitude: 9,150
Weather: 5/10 cloud cover at 5,000 feet on way out. CAVU over target
REMARKS: The first day of the invasion of Sicily. The mission made an excellent job of bombing the landing area, even though one element accidently dropped its bombs 3 miles short of the target. Photo interpretation afterwards revealed that 39 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground.

The P-40 escort drove off 3 enemy fighters. One P-40 pilot bailed out over the target.

Flak was heavy, intense and very accurate over the target. Lt. Opeka described the flak bursts following Capt. Coddington’s aircraft as appearing like a black three lane highway. Lt. Boston made this statement --- “I’ve been initiated into lots of clubs, but Sciacca is the roughest one I’ve ever joined”. Lt. Boston and T/Sgt. Q.W. Thomas were hit by flak and slightly injured. S/Sgt. O.E. Moxey and Cpl. C.W. Sentlingar were also hit, sustaining severe leg injuries, which required hospitalization.

Aircraft were damaged as follows: Lt. Coddington’s aircraft, both tires blown out; Lt. Denton’s aircraft, hydraulic system shot out, necessitating a forced landing at the 12th Bomb Group’s field; Lt. Whitman’s aircraft, windshield demolished; the life raft on Lt. Donnovan’s aircraft was shot clear out of the plane. Lt. Collins’ aircraft failed to return. After leaving the target, he lagged behind the formation, obviously crippled. One ‘chute was seen to open before the plane crashed into a mountain.

381st BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 342: Officers listed below state that aircraft crashed on hillside after making a steep spiral dive of one turn. One parachute was seen to open.

A/C B-25C; Serial No. 42-64522; MACR-342; shot down by AAA
THE CREW
P Collins, George Dennis, F/O - KIA
CP Myers, Gilbert H., 2Lt - MIA, DED
N None
B Kelley, Donald C., T/Sgt - MIA, DED
E None
R Rogers, Mike D., T/Sgt - MIA, FOD
G Walsh, Richard J., S/Sgt - MIA, DED
F Lundsten, Gustave A., Cpl - MIA, DED

428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # 126: Sciacca Airdrome on July 10th proved to be as formidable as it was tragic. Flight Officer Collins and his crew of the 381st had their craft literally blown from the sky. Flight Officer Collins was as well liked as any officer on the base and one who seemed to have a rich military future ahead of him. For the 381st it was the 13th crew lost since we arrived in Africa.

Richard J Walsh