Source:
www.fold3.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-80-BO: 42-29932 to 42-30031 |
| Delievered: | Denver |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 92nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 407th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL: | PY-T |
| MACR: | 2255 |
| Fate: |
, Mid-air collision (30 January 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-30008 / Ready Teddy
Delivered Denver 28/3/43; Cheyenne 30/3/43; Smoky Hill 4/4/43; Dow Fd 12/4/43; Presque Is 16/4/43; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-T] Alconbury 25/4/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 30/1/44 with Wayne Larsen, Co-pilot: Chester Bennett, Bombardier: Joe Ante, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Nicula, Radio Operator: Clifton Wright, Ball turret gunner: Don Bushee (6 Killed in Action); Navigator: Herb Blowers, Waist gunner: Bob Teverson, Waist gunner: Hoyle Barnes,Tail gunner: Leo Bachand (4 Prisoner of War); mid air coll with 42-97441 over Obershagen, crashed a mile W of Oberslagen, N of Burgdorf, 25 miles NW of Braunschweig, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 2255. READY TEDDY.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 42-30008 / Ready Teddy Details
Mid air collision with B-17 #42-97441
Eyewitness Statements
I was tail gunner on B-17G 42-31532, flying the lead of the High Squadron. One of the ships in question was below and one above, both slightly forward of the tail of our ship. Our ship moved out in front of them and then the lower of the two ships pulled up abruptly, colliding with the higher of the two ships. The cockpit window made contact with the bottom of the nose of the higher ship. The lower ship burst into flames, and then both ships passed from our sight. We saw no parachutes.
S/Sgt. Clyde R. Hall
We had a collision with our wing ship – I just got my chute on when ship blew up I saw three chutes below me. These men I saw later in Germany – the one’s listed in this questionnaire to the best of my knowledge are dead. I was the last one to leave the ship.
I do not know too much about this crew because I flew as a spare the day we went down.
T/Sgt. Robert F. Teveson
Source: MACR 2255
B-17 42-30008 / Ready Teddy Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Wayne H. Larsen | KIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Chester S Bennett | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Herbert E Blowers | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Joseph N Ante | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | John P Nicula | KIA | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Clifton O Wright | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | Donald L Bushee | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Robert F Teveson | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Hoyle O Barnes | POW | - |
| TG | SGT | Leo E Bachand | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 15 March 2026
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