Source:
www.fold3.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-30-DL: 42-3149 to 42-3188 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 379th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 524th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | WA-T |
| MACR | 1766 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (25 July 1943) |
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History of
B-17 42-3175 / The HA
Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; Assigned: 95BG 22/4/43; Transferred: 524BS/379BG [WA-T] Kimbolton 4/43; MIA Hamburg 25/7/43 Pilot: Frank Hildebradt, Co-Pilot: Don Rogers, Navigator: Leon Baxter, Bombardier: Albt Johnson, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Bruce Luhmann, Radio Operator: Perry Blum, Ball Turret Gunner: Patsy Denezza, Waist Gunner: Joe Bullard, Waist Gunner: Marion Benicewicz, Tail Gunner: Tony Vaccaro (10POW); Enemy aircraft, crashed target area. MACR 1766. THE HA.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
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B-17 42-3175 / The HA Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Frank A. Hildebrandt | POW | - |
| CP | F/O | Don N. Rogers | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Leonard D. Baxter | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Albert C.Johnson | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Bruce B. Luhmann | POW | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Perry T. Blum | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Patsy J. Denezza | POW | - |
| WG | T/SGT | Joe A. Bullard | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Marion E. Benicewicz | POW | - |
| TG | SGT | Anthony Vaccaro | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 07 November 2021
18. September 2020 access_time 12:23
As an expatriat Englishman living in Hamburg, Germany, since 1970, in 1978 I was given a slightly battered empty tin of wartime Players cigarettes recovered from this B17 in July 1943 by a colleague of mine. As a boy, this later colleague of mine crept unseen into the wrecked B17 and salvaged this cigarette tin as a momento. The B17 had been shot down on the USAAF raid on Hamburg on 27th July 1943 and had crashed in the Wandsbek area of Hamburg, where my workmate lived at the time. Thankfully, my research into the identity of the aircraft has shown that all members of the crew survived the crash to become POW’s, so there is no tragic story connected to this momento, apart from the trauma of being shot down over enemy territory. I will pass this cigarette on to my daughter with the wish that she one day donate it to some museum either in the USA or in England, from where this bomber flew on its final mission.
Stephen N. Prince, Hamburg, Germany.
26. September 2020 access_time 9:42
Hello Stephen,
do you have a photo of the cigarette?
I think it is very interesting.
My web site is like a virtual museum 😀
Cheers
Jing
06. November 2021 access_time 4:46
The Left Waist Gunner, T/Sgt Joe A Bullard was my Dad’s First Cousin. He was interred at Stagluft III and later at Staglag VII-A, where he was liberated by Patton’s Third Army. Post War he returned home to Madisonville, Texas, where he worked in a bank until his death in 1966. Would appreciate any pictures or information on the Crash location. I recall Joe commented that 42-3175, “the Ha” was Col. Preston’s aircraft and that he hated being in the crew that lost it. The loss of 42-3175, “the Ha” is referenced at 379thbga.org Archives Search No. 1274. Thanks to Stephen N. Prince for his sharing the story on the ‘Players’ tin. The 379thBG lost another plane on July 25, 1943. The second B-17 was 42-5917, ‘the Bouncing Bitch’ of the 526 Bomb Squadron.
Hope this information is helpful to all interested parties.
Wilburn C. Bullard III, Cousin of T/Sgt Joe Allen Bullard
07. November 2021 access_time 9:13
Hello Wilburn,
Thank you for sharing your uncles story 🙂
I think Col Preston wasn’t happy about it.
09. February 2026 access_time 2:23
Marion (correct Marian) Benicewicz was my far uncle (strictly – he was a cousin my great grandfather). Marion was died August 30 2017 as Marion Bence in Baltimore/MD