Source:
www.306bg.us
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-10-BO: 41-24440 to 41-24489 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 306th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 367th Bomb Squadron |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (20 December 1942) |
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History of
B-17 41-24489 / Terry and the Pirates
Assigned 367BS/306BG Westover 17-Aug-42; Thurleigh 13-Oct-42; Missing in Action 20-Dec-42 on mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed near Paris. 3KIA 7POW. No MACR issued.
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B-17 41-24489 / Terry and the Pirates Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Lewis R. McKesson | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Quentin W. Burgett | POW | - |
| NAV | 1LT | Sidney Berk | KIA | - |
| BOMB | 1LT | Robert M. Freeman | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | SGT | Lucien Bedard | POW | - |
| RO | SGT | Fletcher M. DeWolf | POW | - |
| BT | SGT | Richard E. Cox | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Ludvik V. Dejnozka | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Stanley J. Milik | KIA | - |
| TG | T/SGT | Delmar L. Swyers | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 03 October 2017
16. September 2020 access_time 17:12
My dad was the navigator. captain John H Dexter
21. January 2021 access_time 23:27
My grandfather was the tail gunner, William Baumgartner. I would love to communicate with you if you are interested!
31. January 2021 access_time 17:31
Hello Brian. The book I’ve written about this bomber and crew is centered on the crew members of the 20 DEC 1942 mission. The navigator on that mission was 1st LT Sidney Berk (Berkovitz). Your relative was probably assigned to an earlier mission, perhaps flown by Henry W. Terry himself (namesake for the bomber). It was not unusual for crew members to fly in other bombers. 41-24489 was only recently (within a few months) assigned to the Bombing Group, having been one of the early B-17F models off the production line. Good hunting in finding out more about your relative. The 306th Bomb Group website has many documents you can research, including operational reports and Group Diary; also in http://www.fold3.com you can research aircraft and crew. The American Air Museum, Britain website is another good source. Good luck in your search. MMD
10. October 2022 access_time 21:32
Thank you. My apologies for the late reply. I know my grandfather was not on “Terry and the Pirates” on it’s last mission, as I believe he was ill that day. What I know about the plane, and his career are from the stories he told me in my youth. He is one of the crewmembers shown in the above picture (I have his copy on my wall). I know he went on to fly with other planes until he rotated home. I’m interested in communicating with the relatives of any of the crew that ever flew on “Terry and the Pirates.”
31. January 2021 access_time 17:33
Oh.. sorry, see my other note. The tailgunner on the 20 DEC 1942 mission when 41-24489 was shot down, was Richard Eugene Cox. Happy hunting. MMD
31. January 2021 access_time 17:17
To my fellow WWII history buffs and families of the crew of 41-24489, the B-17 bomber dubbed “Terry and the Pirates. My father was the engineer/TT gunner when the bomber was shot down. I am a retired USAF Colonel and I’ve thoroughly researched the mission, the shoot down, and the crew, and have written a book about it. It is the most complete book to date regarding this bomber, its fate and fate of the crew members. My motivation was to honor my father and his crew mates. I think it will answer many of the questions you may have. It is available on Amazon at a very low costs. I was not motivated to make any profit, just to tell the story. The title is: Mission VI BC 26: The Downing of “Terry and the Pirates” Paperback – by Malcolm Martin Dejnozka. The purchase price is an easy $9.50. It has 223 references, so I’ve taken considerable care to verify the information in the book. I invite you to order it, especially if you are a relative to one of the crew. Have a safe , healthy and productive new year. MMD
15. December 2022 access_time 4:08
This comes a little late but I just saw the posting. My uncle was in the 401stBS 91st BG on 41-24432
They where the first to go down on the 12/20/42 mission. He was the Flight Engineer/TT gunner. I ve researched all my life finally located the crash site and having his lighter and parts of the airplane. The tail gunner was the only survivor and Maj Priller , JG26 was credited with the shoot down
20. September 2024 access_time 21:08
Hello Dr. Dejnozka: Thank you so much for writing the book. It was very informative and interesting to me. My 2nd Cousin, Lt. Bruce H. Brown, of Hanford, California, was the co-pilot on B17-F #41-22432 recorded in “The Ragged Irregulars” by Marion Havelaar as the Danellen. This plane was the first shot down during the 20 Dec 1942 mission. They never reached the target. 7 KIA and 1 POW (Salvatore Dalterio spent the remainder of the war at Stalag 17B). TSgt. Martin Bacon’s remains were returned in 1949. Four of the crew members of this mission had been buried in x-graves at the Normandy American Cemetery, but were disinterred in 2019. The miracle of DNA helped to identify some of the commingled remains in 2023: 1st Lt. Daniel Corson-Pilot, 1st Lt. Bruce H. Brown-Co-Pilot, SSgt Robert L. Ferris, Jr., and SSgt Jackson M. Barbour. My second cousin, Lt. Bruce Brown, will be interred at Houston National Cemetery on October 25, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. There is no one living who knew Bruce and only a few of us who knew of him. I did learn a lot from reading your book. Again, thank you for writing it.
27. September 2024 access_time 20:46
Thank you for your comments about my book and telling me the history of Lt. Brown. I will need to research more about “The Irregulars.” Their story sounds fascinating. Best wishes to you and please accept my gratitude for the sacrifices of you family in fighting for freedom. M.M. Dejnozka
19. December 2023 access_time 2:09
That is my Uncle, Col. Henry Warren Terry, shaking the King”s hand. He later was the 91st Bomb Group Commander for the last year of the war. He was in the original group of 8th Air Force B-17s to go to England. He was one of four of those members not shot down, killed, wounded, or captured. He did have a bullet open up the sleeve of his jacket. He retired as a USAF Colonel.
20. September 2024 access_time 21:14
That is such an iconic photo. I saw it when I was a little girl because of King George. Always wondered about the plane, but never realized which plane it was until I started researching my own MIA cousin, Lt. Bruce H. Brown, who was KIA on the same day as the Terry and Pirates plane. I read Dr. Dejnozka’s book.