| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-30-DL: 42-38084 to 42-38213 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 452nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 729th Bomb Squadron |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (21 June 1944) |
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History of
B-17 42-38202 / BTO in the ETO
Delivered Denver 15/1/44; Gr Island 21/1/44; Assigned 729BS/452BG Deopham Green 10/2/44; Missing in Action Ruhland 21/6/44 with Lou Hernandez, Co-pilot: Tom Madden, Navigator: Alf Lea, Bombardier: Joe Baker, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tony Hutchinson, Waist gunner: Herschell Wise, Waist gunner: Bob Gilbert (7EVD- fought with Russian army until end of war, and joined US forces at Poltava base); Radio Operator: Jack White, Ball turret gunner: Bill Cabaniss,Tail gunner: Arnold Schumate (3POW-all wia); enemy aircraft KOd #2 and #3, crashed Swory, near Biala Podlaska, Pol. Missing Air Crew Report 10282. BTO IN THE ETO.
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B-17 42-38202 / BTO in the ETO Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Louis L. Hernandez | EVD | - |
| CP | 2LT | Thomas J. Madden | EVD | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Alfred R. Lea | EVD | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Joseph Baker | EVD | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Anthony Hutchison | EVD | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Jack P. White | POW | WIA |
| BT | S/SGT | William Cabaniss | POW | WIA |
| WG | S/SGT | Hercshel Wise | EVD | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Robert Gilbert | EVD | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Arnold G Shumate | POW | WIA |
This page was last updated on 11 February 2018
03. May 2019 access_time 6:16
Thank you so much for posting this information. My Dad, William (Bill) Cabaniss was the ball turret gunner for the BTO in the ETO. Seven of the crew were rescued by the Polish Underground. Jack White and Arnold Shumate were trying to get my Dad, who had broken his leg landing, over to where the Polish Underground hiding with the rest of the crew. White and Shumate were captured along with my Dad by the German Army Wehrmacht. The Polish Underground was able to smuggle the rest of the crew out to the Ukraine where they were reunited with American Army Air Forces in Poltava.
13. March 2023 access_time 0:32
Hello. In the late 80 and early 90 I exchanged several letters with Alfred R.Lea navigator from BTO in the ETO who sent me pictures of CAF’s planes in Texas. I am pleased to inform you that since year 2000 we have in Poland a monument of your father’s B17 shot down in June 1944. It has a shape of B17 real size on the ground and it is located at 52.038857,22.947758 not far from Swory village in the eastern part of Poland. There are the photos of this monument in the internet. I have been to the US in 1996 but not maneged to visit Al. He passed away in 2007. Thank you for your father’s war effort to liberate Europe. If you wish do not hesitate to contact with me. Best wishes Roman Konieczka
28. June 2025 access_time 21:01
2LT Thomas J. Madden was my uncle. After the Polish underground turned the crew over to Russian forces, he was assigned to a training unit in Flordia. The USAAF would not let any of this crew return to combat operations due to their knowledge of the Polish underground network. After the War he remained in Miami, Flordia for the rest of his life designing churches. He was a very religious man, and a great human being. He was an architech with a degree from Carnegie Institute, now Carnegie Mellon University. I believe he recieved his degree in 1940, then went directly into the ASAAF. He passed away in 1972.
Just a side note. I am a member of the Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. I was a Flight Engineer on B17G “Texas Raiders” from 2010 thru Nov 2022. She was lost in a mid-air collision on 12 Nov 22 at an airshow in Dallas. I believe 2LT Alfred R. Lea was a member of the Gulf Coast Wing also. 1LT Louis L. Hernandez was a member of Airbase Arizona of the CAF. I believe he got into public education in Texas after the War retiring as a senior administrator. He then moved to Arizona.
02. February 2026 access_time 7:21
David, Thanks for much for the information! It’s awesome that you got to fly in such a wonderful aircraft. Louis was my grandfather, He worked as a principal in El Paso Texas after the war, and then as a docent at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson during his retirement until he passed away in 2013. He spoke fondly of your uncle. Would love to get in touch to learn more about what you know of this amazing crew!