B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

Delivered Denver 19/5/43; Presque Is 8/8/43; Assigned (H2S) 813BS/482BG [PC- ] with Oboe Mk I radar Alconbury 28/8/43; transferred MTO; Returned to the USA Morrison 14/11/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 3/11/45.

Delivered Cheyenne 8/4/43; Kearney 16/4/43; Wendover 2/5/43; Hill 12/5/43; Wendover 18/5/43; Kearney 22/5/43; Dow Fd 27/5/43; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-E] Thorpe Abbotts 9/6/43; severe battle damage over Stuttgart 6/9/43 with Sumner Reeder, Navigator: Russ EngelWounded in Action, Bombardier: Peter F. Delao, Jr. [wia], rest unknown; Co-pilot: Harry Edebuon (Killed in Action); but limped back to base Missing Air Crew Report 99906; again suffered heavy damage 5/11/43 Gelsenkirchen with Bill Flesh & cp John Gosasage (2 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Omar Gonzales, Bombardier: Jim Lux, Ball turret gunner: Francis Dolsen, Waist gunner: George Gineikis,Tail gunner: Jim Marasco (5 Prisoner of War); Radio Operator: Connor Brewster (KIA-chute failed); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Harry Pope, Leon McDonald (2 evaded capture); while ship landed RAF Tangmere, Sussex; Missing Air Crew Report 99908; Returned to the USA 17/5/44; Hendricks 8/6/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 13/12/45. First aircraft in group to 50 missions. SQUAWKIN’ HAWK II.

Delivered Cheyenne 21/6/44; Kearney 13/7/44; Grenier 24/7/44; Assigned: 365BS/305BG Chelveston 12/8/44; MIA Cologne 14/10/44 Pilot: Dick Nichols, Ken Coombs, Julius Melegh, Franklin Sollars, Ed Price, Chas Brown, Phil Carroll, Tom Sirman (8KIA); John Knight (POW); mid air coll, crashed between Rhine River and Düsseldorfer Straße, Cologne, Germany. MACR 9474.

Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/44; Hunter 15/7/44; Dow Fd 23/7/44; Assigned: 365BS/305BG Chelveston 11/8/44; MIA Cologne 14/10/44 Pilot: Gordon Gustafson, Bob Bader, Dave Higgins, Jim Kavaney, Fred Stone, Ray Kolb, Marlin Gustafson, Dick Smith, Ray Kessel (9KIA); mid air coll, crashed Cologne, Germany. Near Marshalling Yard Köln-Niehl. MACR 9475/KU-3229

Delivered Denver 26/8/43; Scott 29/9/43; Assigned 384BG Grafton Underwood 2/11/43; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-B] Thorpe Abbotts 2/11/43 DODIE; Missing in Action Hamm 22/4/44 with Frank Harte, Navigator: Carl Conley, Waist gunner: Tom McDonald (3 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: John Coppinger, Bombardier: T/Sgt Wallace Meyer, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Paul Carlson, Radio Operator: Weston Rodkey, Ball turret gunner: Felix McIntosh, Waist gunner: Ed Coley,Tail gunner: George McMullin (7 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft damaged #3 and lagged behind, crashed Obershelden, four miles N of Siegen, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 4166. CALL HER SAVAGE.

Delivered Cheyenne 18/3/44; Kearney 5/4/44; Dow Fd 14/4/44; Assigned: 544BS/384BG [SU-T] Grafton Underwood 7/5/44; mechanical fault, Merkwille 3/8/44 Pilot: Frank Lavon Allred; Salvaged. 2 SAD 5/8/44.

Delivered Cheyenne 14/6/44; Kearney 25/6/44; Dow Fd 9/7/44; Assigned 838BS/487BG Lavenham 11/7/44; Missing in Action Derben, Ger 14/1/45 with Jim Moser, Conrad Summerlin, Paul Kenney, Mayo Larkin, Coy Flanery, Orlando Leo, Bob Ketcham, Kenneth Weisman, Hubert Sahlstrom (9 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Rhoden, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 11733. OUR BABY.

Delivered Burbank 2/7/43; Dallas 8/8/43; crashed 18/10/43 with Richard Creamer, on Stormy Peak, Pinetree Park, Col.; Written off 21/10/43.

Delivered Cheyenne 3/5/44; Hunter 18/5/44; Dow Fd 4/6/44; Assigned: 562BS/388BG Knettishall 9/6/44; MIA Stuttgart 5/9/44 Pilot: Ray Paaske, Garis Jacoby {died in captivity}, Tony Santos, Sam George, Henry Mays (5POW); Gene Sydlowski, Bill Baker, John Wells, Ernie Haygood, (4EVD); flak, crashed Rottweil, Germany. MACR 8454. MOONLIGHT SERENADE.

Delivered Denver 14/3/44; Kearney 13/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-R] Horham 20/4/44; with Glovik 7/10/44, Waist gunner: Chas Buda KIA; 97m, Missing in Action Frankfurt 9/3/45 with William Ourant, Co-pilot: Dwight King, Navigator: Elmer Miles, Bombardier: William Waskow, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Vic Johnson, Ball turret gunner: Don Norvet, Waist gunner: Andrew Demchak, Tail gunner: Art Billings, Dave Willoughby {voice int} (9 Prisoner of War); Radio Operator: John Star KIA; crashed Weisel, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 12948.