B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 41-24403 / Blitz Buggy aka The Old Man

Delivered Cheyenne 30/6/42; Assigned 30BS/19BG Mareeba, Aus. 21/8/42 – first so assigned; Port Moresby, NG 15/9/42; transferred 65BS, 43BS and 63BS/43BG Mareeba, Aus 21/1/43 as BLITZ BUGGY; on 8/3/43 detailed a solo recon. Over Gasmata, where hit by Zeros, wounding four crew*, with Melvin Ehlers*, Co-pilot: Joe Cochran*, Navigator: Warren Bryant*, Bombardier: Tom Boren*, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: ? Madison, Radio Operator: ? Boly, Ball turret gunner: ? Andrade, Waist gunner: ? Gerriola, photo- Leonard Williams,Tail gunner: Dave Eckholt; the ettg landing ship at Dobodura. When aircraft repaired became a transport hack in later years, for Gen Whitehead, 5AF FC Jan 43, re-named Jan ’43 THE OLD MAN. Last recorded at Clark Fd, Phillipines, in July 1948.