Air Corps WWII Navigator From Florissant To Be Honored by . . .

Post author:independentnws
Post published:January 23, 2019
Post category:BlackJack / Spanish Lake / Events / Ferguson / Florissant / Hazelwood
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Vet Groups on 100th Birthday

This is a World War 2 vintage photograph of First Lt. Eugene R. Ulrich who was assigned to the 301st Bombardment Group 352nd Squadron as a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): Navigator.

VFW Post 4105 and the Friends of Veterans of Florissant will be honoring VFW Post 4105 member First Lt. Eugene Ulrich for his acts of heroism and the contributions he made to our great nation during World War II (and after) on Sunday. Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. at the VFW Post 4105, 410 Rue St. Francois, Florissant. First Lt. Ulrich will be 100 years old on Feb. 7.

Mayor Tom Schneider said Ulrich flew over 50 air combat operations and received many prestigious medals which included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the Distinguished Citation Medal.

Eugene Ulrich was born Feb. 7, 1919 in Cape Girardeau, MO and after graduating from high school at the age of 16, he attended two years at Missouri State Teacher’s College, (now Southeast Missouri State Univ.). Knowing he would be drafted, he joined the U. S. Army Air Corps and was stationed in Montgomery, Alabama until he passed a test to attend Officer Candidate School at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, TX.

He was commissioned lieutenant and became a navigator stationed at Alamogordo AFB in New Mexico, Biggs Air Force Base in EI Paso, TX, Salina Air Force Base in Topeka, KS then to Florida flying in a new B-17F and headed overseas in December 1942.

While stationed with 12 AF 301st Bomb Group, 352nd Bomb Squadron, and First Lt. Ulrich completed over 50 combat missions before heading state side back to Cape Girardeau, MO in September 1943. He married his sweetheart Jane Collins from El Paso, TX on Sep. 29, 1943.

Ulrich was assigned to Dyersburg Army Air Force Base in Tennessee and then to Clovis AAFB in New Mexico where at both bases he was heavily involved in the training of new B-29 bomber crews for the final assault on the Axis Powers. He was honorably discharged in September 1945.

Eugene and his wife Jane have four children, Eugene Russel Ulrich II; (Retired Navy 30 years); Carolyn (Kandy) Jane Ulrich (Pignataro); Elwood Randolph Ulrich; and Constance (Connie) Lanier Ulrich Roybal. They have eight grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.