Source:
www.fold3.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed/Vega |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-1-VE: 42-39758 to 42-39857 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 379th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 526th Bomb Squadron, 527th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL: | FO-M, LF-M |
| MACR: | 2880 |
| KSU/ME/KU: | 822 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (08 February 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-39782 / Pistol Packin’ Mama
Delivered Long Beach 29/8/43; Scott 19/9/43; Assigned 527BS/379BG [FO-M] Kimbolton 21/10/43, then 526BS [LF-M]; Missing in Action Frankfurt 8/2/44 with Herb Rossberg, Bombardier: Jim Dougherty, Waist gunner: Alby Paplaskas (3 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Matt Bauer, Ball turret gunner: Ed Dugan{Wounded in Action}, Waist gunner: Thurman Smotherman,Tail gunner: Fred Brown (4 Prisoner of War); Navigator: John Kupsick, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Atkinson, Radio Operator: George Bennett (3 evaded capture); enemy aircraft, crashed Amy A/fd, four miles SW of Roye, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 2880. PISTOL PACKIN’ MAMA.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 42-39782 / Pistol Packin’ Mama Details
Crew in the picture are:
Back Row, L to R:
Lt. Howard Francis (Pilot), Lt. Brown (Co-PIlot), Lt. Charles Wiseman (Bombardier), Lt. Herbert Meyers (Navigator), T/Sgt. Murray (Engineer)
Front Row, L to R:
S/Sgt. James Anderson (Tail Gunner), S/Sgt. Walters, S/Sgt. Davis (Ball Turret Gunner), T/Sgt. Eugene House (Waist Gunner), Sgt. Joe Martin (Radio Operator)
Thanks to Tim Palmer for this information. See comment below.
B-17 42-39782 / Pistol Packin’ Mama Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Herbert D. Rossberg | KIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Matthew J. Bauer | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | John A. Kupsick | EVD | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | James B. Dougherty | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Charles E. Atkinson | EVD | - |
| RO | S/SGT | George F. Bennett | EVD | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Edward P. Dugan | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Albert F. Paplaskas | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | Thurman P. Smotherman | POW | - |
| TG | SGT | Frederick H. Brown, Jr. | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 24 July 2021
17. August 2020 access_time 7:44
Website has mis spelled my father’s last name. It should be Kupsick not Cupsick. Thank you
17. August 2020 access_time 11:13
Thank you, I have corrected your father’s name.
13. July 2021 access_time 16:08
The crew in the picture of the “Pistol Packin’ Mama” is not the crew that was shot down… the crew in the picture, flew 26 missions on that plane. A different crew took the plane up, and was shot down. The man in the middle of the back row, in the picture, is my grandfather Lt Charles O Wiseman… I have that same pic in his photo album… underneath the pic, he wrote the last names of that crew… Back Row, L to R… Francis, Brown, Wiseman, Meyers, Murray….. Front Row, L to R… Anderson, Walters, Davis, House, Martin…..Under a different picture in his album, he wrote the names of the crew, and their positions… Lt Howard Francis,Pilot… Lt. Brown, Co-Pilot… Lt Charles Wiseman, Bombardier… Lt “Spud” Herbert Meyer, Navigator… Sgt. Murray, Engineer……. Sgt. James Anderson, Tail Gunner… Walters is not mentioned… Sgt. Davis, Ball Gunner…Sgt. Eugene House, Side Gunner… Sgt. Joe Martin, Radio Man……. I’m not sure a picture of the crew you have listed, exists with this “Pistol Packin’ Mama”, but the men I listed, are the crew in the picture!! I wish I had a way to upload the info I have here in his photo album, I’m sure you’d find it interesting!! Thank You, Tim Palmer
24. July 2021 access_time 7:56
Hello Tim,
thank you very much for the names. The source of the picture didn’t mentioned these. I have added the information to this site. The date of the crew picture was 02 January 1944.
Best wishes
Jing
10. April 2024 access_time 1:42
Tim, it looks like our grandfathers were on this plane together. My grandfather, Howard Francis, was the pilot. Thanks for sharing the crew list. Much appreciated.
08. March 2022 access_time 5:30
My Grandpa, Clarence Medeck, was one of the original members of the Betty Boop/Pistol Packin Mama, B-17. He was radio, and sometimes gunner. He flew 25 mandatory missions, and opted out of the voluntary 26th, when she ultimately got shot down. My Grandpa thought of his crew as family (having been an orphan), and was devastated when the plane fell, believing everyone perished. My Grandpa died in 1981 from lung cancer, I was barely 8. He was my whole world. I got a Pistol Packin Mama tattoo in his honor (as an adult), and a #25 in a star, for his 25 missions. Thanks for reading.
12. November 2022 access_time 18:47
My Father, Edward Dugan, listed as ball turret gunner on this plane when it was shot down claimed he went on that mission with a different crew than he always flew with as a replacement to get in his 25 missions quicker. But he was shot down and became a POW (as shown above)
HIS original crew was listed as: Leo G. Miller Pilot, john R. Kajmo Co-Pilot, James B. Dougherty, Bombardier (also with him as a replacement on this crew and was KIA), Vinie A Scamell Navigator, Willim E. Mash 1st Radio operator, Gerald R. Skinner asst. Engineer, Wayne E. Curtis 1st Engineer , Earl E. Hill 1st Armorer gunner, Leonard M. Killin Asst. Radio operator
He claimed the rest of the original crew completed their 25 missions and came home. He stayed in contact with Leo Miller until they both died. I am not sure who is in the picture but it does not match the picture of my Dad’s original crew as listed here. Thank You
06. April 2024 access_time 2:17
My father was Leo Miller, who refused to talk about the war. I found his picture with the plane and a map of the missions. Seems like there several “pistol packing momas”
12. November 2022 access_time 18:51
Also, the original information above says the plane was shot down 8/2/44 but it actually was shot down 2/8/44.
01. February 2023 access_time 0:43
Mr. Micheal Dugan, the European method of annotations of dates lists day/month/year. That is likely the discrepancy you see. Thanks for your information. Thanks to all these airmen for their service!
10. April 2024 access_time 1:31
My grandfather, Howard Francis, was one of the pilots in the original crew. He told me years ago that he flew 26 missions, but I never figured out why he flew an extra. I understand that 25 was the required amount. From his paperwork, the 26 missions he flew are listed from Nov 16, 1943 to Mar 23, 1944. I’m so glad to have found this photo and thankful that this website exists to remember these brave warriors.
30. October 2025 access_time 0:50
My father, Sgt. John F. Boetsch born June 15th 1921, was on the Pistol Packing Mama. I have photo of he and his crew in front of his B17 with that painted on the B17. He was in the Army Air Corps and I believe in the South Pacific. If anyone can confirm and add to his life’s story I would greatly appreciate it. I am happy to share the photo as well. Regards, John M.Boetsch.