Chester Grover Ulrich was born on 08 Apr 1923 in North Bergen, Hudson Co, NJ, one of five children born to the marriage of Joseph C. Ulrich and Clara Alsleben.
He was an avid fan of flying and built his own plane with his brother and flew it from Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, Bergen Co, NJ.
Chet enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp and became a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Air Force, 36th Fighter Group, 53rd Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He married Miss Ruth Elinor Carson on 07 Feb 1943 in Moultrie, Colquitt Co, GA, the eighth of nine children born to the union of Frank Carson and Mamie M. Gardner.
Chet was sent to England to fly bombing raids into Europe. He was shot down on 15 Jun 1944, the fourth day of the Normandy (D-Day) Invasion.
The following is an except from the MISSING AIR CREW REPORT dated 17 Jun 1944. The eye witness statement of 2nd Lt Howard H. Glaser:
"I took off at 1930 hours on 15 June 1944, flying fourth position in the second flight with Lieutenants Reese, Ulrich and McConaghy in the other three positions respectively.
We had accomplished our mission and were on out way home when we ran into some accurate light flak. This was about three minutes after we left the target on a heading of approximately 80-90 degrees, altitude 4500' indicated. About two minutes after passing the flak area my element leader, Lt McConaghy, started some violent turns. I followed him, not knowing the reason until I heard someone call, 'Yellow two, are you in any trouble?', and I saw a plane peeling away from the rest of the flight. (The flight had not yet reformed after its flak evasion).
My element leader then informed 'Chilli' leader that he was going to lead 'Yellow two' to a landing strip a few miles to the right, and instructed me to keep out of the way. He peeled away and down to the level of 'Yellow two' who had steadily lost altitude, while I stayed above. I heard him instruct 'Yellow two' to follow the plane rocking its wings and saw the latter make a turn in his direction, still losing altitude. At this time I noticed a trail of what seemed to be either white smoke or gasoline behind him. Then he leveled out, continued to lose altitude and went into the ground at about a ten degree angle, exploded and burned. This was at 2140.
The position was about 300 yards southwest of a field hospital near Isigny and about a mile southwest of the landing strip. His heading was 70-80 degrees.
All during this time I heard no answer from 'Yellow two' on the radio, nor did I see him make any attempt to bail out - his canopy was closed when he hit the ground."
It was believed by witnesses, who wrote to Chet's widow, that he knew he wasn't going to make it to the landing strip, and rather than risk hitting the field hospital he ditched his own plane. One life in exchange for many.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He was an avid fan of flying and built his own plane with his brother and flew it from Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, Bergen Co, NJ.
Chet enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp and became a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Air Force, 36th Fighter Group, 53rd Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He married Miss Ruth Elinor Carson on 07 Feb 1943 in Moultrie, Colquitt Co, GA, the eighth of nine children born to the union of Frank Carson and Mamie M. Gardner.
Chet was sent to England to fly bombing raids into Europe. He was shot down on 15 Jun 1944, the fourth day of the Normandy (D-Day) Invasion.
The following is an except from the MISSING AIR CREW REPORT dated 17 Jun 1944. The eye witness statement of 2nd Lt Howard H. Glaser:
"I took off at 1930 hours on 15 June 1944, flying fourth position in the second flight with Lieutenants Reese, Ulrich and McConaghy in the other three positions respectively.
We had accomplished our mission and were on out way home when we ran into some accurate light flak. This was about three minutes after we left the target on a heading of approximately 80-90 degrees, altitude 4500' indicated. About two minutes after passing the flak area my element leader, Lt McConaghy, started some violent turns. I followed him, not knowing the reason until I heard someone call, 'Yellow two, are you in any trouble?', and I saw a plane peeling away from the rest of the flight. (The flight had not yet reformed after its flak evasion).
My element leader then informed 'Chilli' leader that he was going to lead 'Yellow two' to a landing strip a few miles to the right, and instructed me to keep out of the way. He peeled away and down to the level of 'Yellow two' who had steadily lost altitude, while I stayed above. I heard him instruct 'Yellow two' to follow the plane rocking its wings and saw the latter make a turn in his direction, still losing altitude. At this time I noticed a trail of what seemed to be either white smoke or gasoline behind him. Then he leveled out, continued to lose altitude and went into the ground at about a ten degree angle, exploded and burned. This was at 2140.
The position was about 300 yards southwest of a field hospital near Isigny and about a mile southwest of the landing strip. His heading was 70-80 degrees.
All during this time I heard no answer from 'Yellow two' on the radio, nor did I see him make any attempt to bail out - his canopy was closed when he hit the ground."
It was believed by witnesses, who wrote to Chet's widow, that he knew he wasn't going to make it to the landing strip, and rather than risk hitting the field hospital he ditched his own plane. One life in exchange for many.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Chester Grover Ulrich was born on 08 Apr 1923 in North Bergen, Hudson Co, NJ, one of five children born to the marriage of Joseph C. Ulrich and Clara Alsleben.
He was an avid fan of flying and built his own plane with his brother and flew it from Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, Bergen Co, NJ.
Chet enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp and became a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Air Force, 36th Fighter Group, 53rd Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He married Miss Ruth Elinor Carson on 07 Feb 1943 in Moultrie, Colquitt Co, GA, the eighth of nine children born to the union of Frank Carson and Mamie M. Gardner.
Chet was sent to England to fly bombing raids into Europe. He was shot down on 15 Jun 1944, the fourth day of the Normandy (D-Day) Invasion.
The following is an except from the MISSING AIR CREW REPORT dated 17 Jun 1944. The eye witness statement of 2nd Lt Howard H. Glaser:
"I took off at 1930 hours on 15 June 1944, flying fourth position in the second flight with Lieutenants Reese, Ulrich and McConaghy in the other three positions respectively.
We had accomplished our mission and were on out way home when we ran into some accurate light flak. This was about three minutes after we left the target on a heading of approximately 80-90 degrees, altitude 4500' indicated. About two minutes after passing the flak area my element leader, Lt McConaghy, started some violent turns. I followed him, not knowing the reason until I heard someone call, 'Yellow two, are you in any trouble?', and I saw a plane peeling away from the rest of the flight. (The flight had not yet reformed after its flak evasion).
My element leader then informed 'Chilli' leader that he was going to lead 'Yellow two' to a landing strip a few miles to the right, and instructed me to keep out of the way. He peeled away and down to the level of 'Yellow two' who had steadily lost altitude, while I stayed above. I heard him instruct 'Yellow two' to follow the plane rocking its wings and saw the latter make a turn in his direction, still losing altitude. At this time I noticed a trail of what seemed to be either white smoke or gasoline behind him. Then he leveled out, continued to lose altitude and went into the ground at about a ten degree angle, exploded and burned. This was at 2140.
The position was about 300 yards southwest of a field hospital near Isigny and about a mile southwest of the landing strip. His heading was 70-80 degrees.
All during this time I heard no answer from 'Yellow two' on the radio, nor did I see him make any attempt to bail out - his canopy was closed when he hit the ground."
It was believed by witnesses, who wrote to Chet's widow, that he knew he wasn't going to make it to the landing strip, and rather than risk hitting the field hospital he ditched his own plane. One life in exchange for many.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He was an avid fan of flying and built his own plane with his brother and flew it from Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, Bergen Co, NJ.
Chet enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp and became a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Air Force, 36th Fighter Group, 53rd Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces.
He married Miss Ruth Elinor Carson on 07 Feb 1943 in Moultrie, Colquitt Co, GA, the eighth of nine children born to the union of Frank Carson and Mamie M. Gardner.
Chet was sent to England to fly bombing raids into Europe. He was shot down on 15 Jun 1944, the fourth day of the Normandy (D-Day) Invasion.
The following is an except from the MISSING AIR CREW REPORT dated 17 Jun 1944. The eye witness statement of 2nd Lt Howard H. Glaser:
"I took off at 1930 hours on 15 June 1944, flying fourth position in the second flight with Lieutenants Reese, Ulrich and McConaghy in the other three positions respectively.
We had accomplished our mission and were on out way home when we ran into some accurate light flak. This was about three minutes after we left the target on a heading of approximately 80-90 degrees, altitude 4500' indicated. About two minutes after passing the flak area my element leader, Lt McConaghy, started some violent turns. I followed him, not knowing the reason until I heard someone call, 'Yellow two, are you in any trouble?', and I saw a plane peeling away from the rest of the flight. (The flight had not yet reformed after its flak evasion).
My element leader then informed 'Chilli' leader that he was going to lead 'Yellow two' to a landing strip a few miles to the right, and instructed me to keep out of the way. He peeled away and down to the level of 'Yellow two' who had steadily lost altitude, while I stayed above. I heard him instruct 'Yellow two' to follow the plane rocking its wings and saw the latter make a turn in his direction, still losing altitude. At this time I noticed a trail of what seemed to be either white smoke or gasoline behind him. Then he leveled out, continued to lose altitude and went into the ground at about a ten degree angle, exploded and burned. This was at 2140.
The position was about 300 yards southwest of a field hospital near Isigny and about a mile southwest of the landing strip. His heading was 70-80 degrees.
All during this time I heard no answer from 'Yellow two' on the radio, nor did I see him make any attempt to bail out - his canopy was closed when he hit the ground."
It was believed by witnesses, who wrote to Chet's widow, that he knew he wasn't going to make it to the landing strip, and rather than risk hitting the field hospital he ditched his own plane. One life in exchange for many.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Inscription
CHESTER G. ULRICH
2LT 53 FTR SQ 36 FTR GP
NEW JERSEY JUNE 15 1944
