B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-37840 / Combined Operations

Delivered Long Beach 21/9/43; Gt Falls 13/10/43; Assigned 457BG Glatton 20/2/44; transferred 367BS/306BG [GY-Y] Thurleigh 12/3/44. While on cross country navigation mission to Nutts Corner airfield, Belfast, it encountered foggy conditions and crashed Pearlwick Bay, near Glen Chase, Isle of Man, UK 15/4/45 with Bob Vieille, Co-pilot: Colin Liersch, Navigator: Howard Le Compte, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ernie Gallion, Radio Operator: Chester Smailczewski, Bill Starbuck; plus passengers: Capt Bradley Butterfieldsq ops, Capt George Cubberleysq exec, Darrell Jones, Austin Parrishp and Red Cross nurse Emily Rea, 11KIS; sal. COMBINED OPERATIONS.