Source:
www.385thbga.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-100-BO: 42-30332 to 42-30431 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 385th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 549th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | XA-X |
| MACR | 2268 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (29 January 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-30354 / Hustlin’ Hussy
Delivered: Cheyenne 23/5/43; Smoky Hill 2/6/43; Gr Isle 3/6/43; Dow Fd 20/6/43; Assigned: 549BS/385BG [XA-X] Gt Ashfield 1/7/43; MIA Frankfurt 29/1/44 Pilot: Ralph Palmer, Navigator: Bill Powell, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Art Pacha, Ball Turret Gunner: Leo Reynolds, Waist Gunner: Bill Williams (5POW); Co-Pilot: Ryal Skaggs, Bombardier: Frank Wieczerzak, Radio Operator: Bob Piaroto, Tail Gunner: Elmore Loveland (4EVD); Waist Gunner: Allen Patterson (KIA); Enemy aircraft, crashed Anderlues, six miles NW of Charleroi, Belgium. MACR 2268. SWEET 17 aka HUSTLIN’ HUSSY.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
This page was last updated on 19 October 2018
10. June 2022 access_time 18:52
That’s actually the first crew (Jerry Mudge’s crew) in the photo. (my grandfather is second from right in the back row). They finished their 25 missions in mid-late December 1943. The Palmer crew picked up the Hussy after them.
15. November 2022 access_time 5:05
Jerry Mudge is actually my Great Uncle! Going through some old photos, original photos, news articles, editor notes for said articles, patches, a reunion packet, reunion stickers, letters, and a hand written letter/diary right now, can’t figure out who wrote the hand written letter/diary though. However it mentions the names Jim, Freitag, Emmonds, and my Great Uncle LT Mudge. So that eliminates the possibility of one of them writing it. It’s titled, [No.1] Kiel Dec. 13,1943-“Hustlin’ Hussey”. It talks about how they “made it back to the field” after one of their engines went bad during a bombing run in Kiel, Germany. It also states how it was Mudge’s 25th mission. Whoever wrote this states that he envy’s Mudge. This letter/diary entry also gives times like how he woke up at 3:30am, took off at 8am for the bombing run, and made it back to the field at 4pm.
My Great Uncle Jerome “Jerry” Mudge and his brother John Mudge, who flew a spitfire (even during Normandy) , are leading inspirations for myself as I’m interested on going into the Air Force after High School. Cheers.
27. March 2024 access_time 4:20
That’s my dad to the right of Mudge. Bill clark . All great men. Dad would always brought up Mudge in his stories. They were close.
22. February 2026 access_time 22:35
I worked for Co-Pilot Ryal Skaggs for a couple of years while I was in high school. One day he opened up and told me about the flight in which the B17 was shot down. I was very interested in the story but, I was 17 years old and didn’t follow up and ask a lot of questions. I have wished a million times that I had followed up on his story. He said when they flew out on their bomb run the clouds were at 5,000 ft. and they were flying at 10,000 ft. On their way back and it was evident that they were going to have to bail out, he did not pull his rip cord until he fell thru the clouds because at the time, German pilots were shooting pilots in their chutes. He landed in a field where locals were working and they helped hide him until he could make his escape backs to friendly lines.