zoom_in
Quelle:
www.fold3.com
Produktionsblock:
B-17F-30-BO: 42-5050 bis 42-5078
Hersteller:
Boeing
- Bomber-Gruppe:
- 305th Bomb Group
- Bomber-Staffel:
- 364th Bomb Squadron
- 422nd Bomb Squadron
- RCL: JJ-M, WF-M
MACR: 1343 / KSU/ME/KU: 164
Geschichte der
B-17 42-5057 / Dry Martini & the Cocktail Kids
Delivered Cheyenne 9/9/42; Presque Is 19/10/42; Assigned: 422BS/305BG [JJ-M] Chelveston 30/10/42, then 364BS [WF-M]; MIA Stuttgart 6/9/43 Pilot: Ron Dahly, Co-Pilot: Roger Jones{broke both legs}, Bombardier: Bill Beckman, Radio Operator: Grant Carter, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe King, Waist Gunner: Adolph Waldman, Waist Gunner: Cliff Jones, Tail Gunner: Bill Koger (8POW), Navigator: Allan Johnston (EVD); Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Jim Millar (KIA); out of fuel, crashed Ferme Lequien, near St Leger-aux-Bois, seven miles NE of Compiegne, Fr. MACR 1343. 4F.
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 31. Juli 2023
B-17 42-5057 / Dry Martini & the Cocktail Kids Crew
| Position | Rang | Name | Status | Bemerkung |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Ronald N. Dahly | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Rodger T. Jones | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Allan G. Johnston | EVD | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | William P. Beckham, Jr. | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | James C. Miller | KIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Grant Carter | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Joseph J. Kling | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Adolf Waldman | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Clifford R. Jones | POW | - |
| TG | S/SGT | William J. Koger, Jr. | POW | - |
13. Dezember 2021 access_time 12:38
You have the wrong crew, And the Dry Martini and the Cocktail Kids was never shot down! or ran out of fuel! I know! My Dad William Beach was the Top Turret Gunner and Flight Engineer! Get your stories straight!
13. Dezember 2021 access_time 17:09
Hi John, what’s the right crew?
The crew list is based on MACR 1343 file:
https://b17flyingfortress.de/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/42-5057_MACR_page1-scaled.jpg
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 0:21
Hello!
This is actually the correct information for the Dry Martini & The Cocktail Kids. This lists their missions and crew. This information is provided by John Hill, the Ball Turret Gunner.
http://www.ww-iiheroes.com/Martini.html
Thank you,
Toni Danette
Granddaughter of William “Bill” Beach, Top Turret Gunner on the Dry Martini & The Cocktail Kids
31. Juli 2023 access_time 5:04
Just a correction on the pilot name. It was Ron Dahly. The g must be a typo.
31. Juli 2023 access_time 20:59
Thank you! I have corrected his name
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 1:09
We have a theory – since the Dry Martini Crew, my grandpa was with, finished their missions in Aug of 1943, and the missing air crew report is Sept of 1943, we suspect the Dry Martini got a completely new crew.
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 7:58
Hi Toni, this makes sense, if the previous crew complete their tour of duty and during that time , the B-17 always returned safely.
31. Juli 2023 access_time 5:21
Correct, it was then handed over to Pilot Ron Dahly and his crew. Not sure of the fate of the rest of the crew but Ron Dahly hid in a bail of hay until he was found by a French family. They were informed upon and he was eventually captured. The family was lined up in front of him and murdered by the SS. They called him a “luftgangster”, shot the hat off his head and beat him. He then went to Luftstag 3 as a prisoner until the end of the war. Before the crash one of his crew members was not concious. He pulled his shoot for him and managed to drop him out the bomb bay before bailing out.
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 2:39
We have come to the conclusion that the “Dry Martini and the Cocktail kids” AIRPLANE was indeed shot down or ran out of fuel in Sept 1943. There was a new crew onboard. Allen “Dry” and the original crew had shipped home after their 26th mission in August of 1943: except for my father William Beach and John Hill and perhaps the Tail gunner Mitchell. They each had 4/5 missions to complete. My Dad did fly with the crew of the “Lallah V”. for at least one of those missions! The one he told me that the landing gear collapsing was either Pilot or co-pilot error! When they lifted the plane up the gear came down and locked into position just fine!
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 8:01
Thank you for that information. Yeah, I think so too, that “Dry Matini” was with another crew for its last mission with the result of crash landing because of out of fuel. So, information seems to be correct for the last mission.
13. Dezember 2021 access_time 21:53
Hello John. Your father also flew on B-17 42-5156 ‘Lallah V’. He is this photo of the aircraft after it belly landed. http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/264 . He probably flew in various B-17s.
15. Dezember 2021 access_time 1:03
Ross,
This is the story my Uncle John was told by his Dad, William “Bill” Beach, regarding the “Lallah V” regarding the plane “belly land”….
“They had landed, they did not belly land. They had just got on the ground and slowed down. Either the pilot or co-pilot pulled the wrong retract switch or lever for the landing gear once they got on the ground and it slammed them down on the landing strip. The landing gear did not collapse.”
There are also 2 crew members missing in this photo.
Regarding Bill Beach being with that crew…
Since he was out wounded on missions 7 thru 11, after the Dry Martini finished their missions, my grandfather still had 4 or 5 missions to complete and was allowed to pick which crew he wanted to fly with. The Lallah V was clearly one of those crews he chose.
Reference:
http://www.ww-iiheroes.com/Martini.html
Thank you,
Toni Danette, Granddaughter of Bill Beach
John Beach, Son of Bill Beach
15. Mai 2022 access_time 21:46
My fatherRichard Willis was a tail gunner or waist gunner on the Dry Martini. There was an article about them in either Life or Look. A flight where the navigator flew the plane with instructions from injured co pilot.
03. August 2023 access_time 13:45
The photo used for this B-17 is of the 4th Dry Martini & The Cocktail Kids, a later model B-17F with astrodome. It’s serial is currently unknown. This Facebook post has photos of 42-5057 https://www.facebook.com/groups/54028564457/permalink/10156773962684458/