zoom_in
Production-block:
B-17F-5-BO: 41-24390 to 41-24439
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 301st Bomb Group
- 97th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 353rd Bomb Squadron
- 414th Bomb Squadron
History of
B-17 41-24406 / All American
Assigned 92BG Bangor 13/7/42; transferred 414BS/97BG Polebrook 6/42; Maison Blanche, Alg. 13/11/42; Tafaraoui, Alg. 22/11/42; Biskra, Alg. 25/12/42; on Tunis mission was rammed by FW190 1/2/43 almost slicing rear fuselage and tailplane off; made it back to Biskra and repaired; transferred 353BS/301BG {3m} St Donat 6/3/43; Oudna, Tun 6/8/43; Cerignola, It. 7/12/43; Lucera, It. 1/2/44; Salvaged 6/3/45. ALL AMERICAN.
Last updated: 3. June 2020
B-17 41-24406 / All American Details
The photo above with ‘All American’ in flight was taken by B-17 Navigator Lt. Charles Clifton ‘Cliff’ Cutforth 29 July 1913 to 17 Aug 1982 (69) ASN 19002894 Photo: National Museum of the Air Force, 050524-F-01234P-015
Information about the incident
Previously, the Wikipedia article (from 2017) was published here. I have removed it because of the comment of Anne Constantin Birge.
B-17 41-24406 / All American Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | --- | Kendrick Robertson 'Sonny' Bragg, Jr. | RTD | - |
| CP | --- | Godfrey Engel, Jr. | RTD | - |
| NAV | --- | Harry Charles Nuessle | RTD | - |
| BOMB | --- | Ralph Burbridge | RTD | - |
| ENG/TT | --- | Joseph Costner 'Joe' James, Jr. | RTD | - |
| RO | --- | Paul Abrams Galloway | RTD | - |
| BT | --- | Elton Artilio Conda | RTD | - |
| WG | --- | Michael A. Zuk, Sr. | RTD | - |
| TG | --- | Sam Anton 'Tony' Sarpolus | RTD | - |
| --- | --- | Herman Rene 'Hank' Heyland, Jr | UNK | Ground crew chief |
04. December 2019 access_time 20:26
A few of the minor facts mentioned here have since been disproven via interviews with the crew. They did not attempt to open the bomb doors after the accident as they had already completed their bombing run. They did not attempt to return to England but instead landed in allied held North Africa. They didn’t attempt to use parachutes to rescue the tail gunner or hold the plane together. In fact they were wearing them. Otherwise good info.
25. May 2020 access_time 19:53
This comment has several issues to discuss: First – The above video should be removed for its continuing to repetition of many inaccuracies, which include some improbable and/or impossible events which were reported by the press. Second – Over the years, Capt. Kendrick Bragg, Jr. – Pilot, and Lt. Ralph Burbridge – Bombardier, attempted to correct those inaccurate ‘puff pieces,’ which were probably written to be morale-boosters for the folks back home. Except for Warbird Digest and airscape Magazine, the inaccuracies continue. They include, but are not limited to:
• The tail gunner was trapped at the rear, because there was no floor connecting the fuselage and tail. (But the
fuselage of the plane was till intact.)
• The crew kept her tail connected to the fuselage with parachute cords and pieces of the German fighter. Ralph Burbridge, All American’s Bombardier, said they each wore their own parachutes and none were sacrificed to help keep the aircraft together. (Can parachute cords hold an 18-ton to 27-ton [empty to fully loaded] aircraft together?)
• Because they hadn’t yet dropped their bomb load (Burbridge confirmed they had), they continued to Tunis. Upon arrival, when the bomb bay doors opened, the turbulence blew a Waist Gunner into the tail section. After safely retrieving him, they couldn’t get the Tail Gunner (Sam Sarpolus), because his weight was needed to add stability to All American’s tail, so it wouldn’t break off. (According to Sarpolus’ 16 Oct 1940 Draft Card, he was 5’ 8” tall and weighed 150 lbs. And that kept the tail stable? And, according to Bragg and Burbridge, they already dropped their bombs over the Tunis Docks before the mid-air collision with a German fighter, as planned.)
• Because the German fighters just wouldn’t give up, two Waist Gunners allegedly stuck their heads up through the 16’ long gash (and shot at the enemy fighters with 84 lb Browning M2 .50. machine guns?). Burbridge said the German fighters did not re-engage, as the US bomber formation was beyond the Messerschmitts’ range capabilities. (Exactly just how slow can a B-17 fly, without ripping off spectators heads? And, airscape Magazine reported the crew did not any re-engage German fighters. And, at what minimum speed can anyone hold their head out the fuselage or window, without it getting sheared off?)
• “The Tail Gunner had to shoot in short bursts because the recoil was actually causing the plane to turn.” (Just when and how did the US Army Air Forces put Dora or Schwerer Gustav [the only two 1,500 ton, 155’ long, 23’ wide, 31½” German railway guns that were made] in that bomber? Not to mention each of the 7.7 ton bombs! And, Sarpolus only had two .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns. Hardly enough recoil to cause a B-17 to turn.)
• An Allied P-51 Mustang fighter pilot took All American’s aerial photograph over the English Channel. (NOT true, for two reasons: according to Harry C. Nuessle, All American’s Navigator, Lt. Cliff Cutforth, a Navigator aboard a B-17 named the Flying Flitgun, assigned to the 97th BG, 340th BS, took the aerial picture. And, a semi-close look at her aerial photo reveals she was over what appears to be arid land and a few hills, NOT water when the pic was taken.
o A B-17’s maximum range, according to the specifications on Wikipedia, is 2,000 miles. The All American was not station in England during this mission. A US AAF base at Colchester, England [the closest WWII English airbase from Bikstra, Algeria, All American’s base] was approximately 1,400 miles to Tunis, Tunisia – one way. The B-17 simply could not and would not attempt that trip, when their ASSIGNED BASE at Biskra, Algeria was about 300 miles away from their target in Tunis, Tunisia. And, since 13 Nov 1942 until 1 Feb 1943, she was combat-damaged by a German Messerschmitt fighter, it’s improbable that she flew to England.
25 Dec 1942 Biskra, Algeria
o A fairly close examination of All American’s aerial photo, reveals what appear to be hills amid somewhat arid land, not water. She was not over the English Channel when Lt Cliff Cutforth, the Navigator aboard the B-17 Flying Flitgun, took the aerial photo. No other person took that picture.
• In various documents, several people MISidentified 2nd Lt Melville Guy Boyd, Jr. (ASN 0797960) as All American’s Co-pilot. A comparison of his 15 Feb 1942 Draft Card signature with that on the Nuessle letter, pretty much confirms that is probably unlikely. And, he was assigned to the 13th Air Force, 100th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Squadron – not the 97th BG, 414th BS. Sadly, on 4 July 1943, while he was the Co-pilot aboard the B-17 Nevada Wildcat SN 42-30051, had two of her engines failed and the crew bailed out. All but one, who evaded capture, were imprisoned in German POW camps through May 1945, when they were liberated. (MACR 00272). Although Lt Boyd was not All American’s photographer, he was still an All American hero!
Also, for the last 77-years, a few inaccuracies about All American’s crew members, have been repeated, time and again. The Co-pilot and the Ground Crew Chief’s names, as stated on this site are inaccurate. A June 2019, online article ‘Down in One Pieces,’ airscape Magazine, correctly identified the photographer of the aerial photo of All American. The following list, contains the crew members entire AND correct names and the photographer’s name and the USAF accession number for HIS photograph. Should you use the photo, please ensure you attribute it to Lt. Cutforth:
The Correct the Crew Names on All American and Attribute her Aerial Photo to Cliff Cutforth
Boeing B-17F-5-BO Flying Fortress named All American (SN 41-24406 – scrapped in Foggia, Italy in 1945)
97th Bomb Group, 414th Squadron
Pilot Kendrick Robertson ‘Sonny’ Bragg, Jr. 24 Mar 1918 to 13 Oct 1999 (81) ASN 14051695
Co-pilot Godfrey Engel, Jr. 14 Aug 1915 to 03 May 2007 (92) ASN 18041158
Navigator Harry Charles Nuessle 18 Jan 1917 to 27 June 1991 (74) ASN 13029268
Bombardier Ralph Burbridge 19 Feb 1920 to 03 Feb 2013 (92) ASN 17016626
Engineer Joseph Costner ‘Joe’ James, Jr. 12 Apr 1914 to 20 Sep 1993 (79) ASN 34123026
Radio Operator/Photographer Paul Abrams Galloway 06 Aug 1917 to 27 Nov 2011 (94) ASN 14034782
Ball Turret Gunner Elton Artilio Conda 06 Sep 1920 to 21 Apr 2006 (85) ASN 12010890
Waist Gunner Michael A. Zuk, Sr. 18 Aug 1917 to 03 Jun 2002 (84) ASN 31269674
Tail Gunner Sam Anton ‘Tony’ Sarpolus 21 Apr 1917 to 10 Jan 1988 (70) ASN 16061383
Ground Crew Chief/Mechanic Herman Rene ‘Hank’ Heyland, Jr. 08 Apr 1919 to 06 Sep 2001 (82) ASN 17028163
The Navigator aboard the B-17 Flying Flitgun (SN 41-24412), adjacent to All American, took the aerial photograph of All American on 1 Feb 1943 over LAND, not the English Channel, as some have reported. His correct information is:
B-17 Navigator Lt. Charles Clifton ‘Cliff’ Cutforth 29 July 1913 to 17 Aug 1982 (69) ASN 19002894 Photo: National Museum of the Air Force, 050524-F-01234P-015
Thank you!
25. May 2020 access_time 22:05
Hello Anne,
thank you very much for these details!
21. February 2024 access_time 18:03
very very accurate statement my uncle Joe was the engineer and ttg my mom Elizabeth talked about this to the end of her life how proud she was of him , and how only God brought all aboard home, she passed in 2013 at the age of 87. well done God bless you anne.
24. February 2024 access_time 11:58
It’s serendipitous I look at this site this morning. Three days ago, you thanked me for the info. In reality, we all should be thanking you and your family for keeping our military heroes’ names alive so we don’t forget! Your Uncle Joe must have been an amazing man and your mom an amazing woman. THANK YOU!!!
21. February 2024 access_time 18:24
very very accurate statement my uncle Joe was the engineer and ttg my mom Elizabeth talked about this to the end of her life how proud she was of him and how only God brought all aboard home. she was 16 at the time and passed in 2013 at the age 87 the greatest generation.
06. March 2024 access_time 5:13
According to Alfred Blair, bombardier of the Flaming Mayme, the disabled 109 hit their plane first, split it in 2, and bounced into the All American. 7 crew were killed and he and 2 others were taken prisoner. Also, Elton Conda, the All American ball turret gunner that day, was a sub. When told he was flying that day, he asked Bragg, “can you fly the damn plane”? Bragg answered “can you shoot the damn guns”.? Conda found Bragg could fly the plane.