B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies Latest entries in the database

Delivered Cheyenne 4/7/44; Kearney 13/7/44; Dow Fd 20/7/44; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-B] Molesworth 20/7/44; Missing in Action Magdeburg 28/9/44 with Walt Mayer[broke leg on landing], Co-pilot: Ray Gradle, Navigator: Bob Simons, Bombardier: Oron Rogers[wia], Radio Operator: Ernie Tuescher, Waist gunner: Ernie Gendron, Ball turret gunner: Jerome Messerich,Tail gunner: Fred Withers[wia] (8 Returned to Duty); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Doug Hicks (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft ko’d #1 & 2; crash landed in field near Boulaide, SW of Wiltz, Lux. Missing Air Crew Report 10586. BOUNCING BETTY II.

Assigned 352BS/301BG Westover 14/7/42; Chelveston 9/8/42; Tafaraoui 26/11/42; Maison Blanche 5/12/42; Biskra 16/12/42; Ain M’Lila 17/1/43; St Donat 6/3/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; {61m} Salvaged 1/7/45. DICKIE DOODLE II.

Delivered Hunter 12/8/44; Grenier 29/8/44; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-L] Molesworth 26/9/44; Missing in Action Magdeburg (1st mission) 28/9/44 with Chas Glasgow (Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: George Ashford, Navigator: John Cashman, Bombardier: Homer Goff, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Hilaire Lisabeth, Radio Operator: Bob Britz, Ball turret gunner: Jethem McConathy, Waist gunner: John McGlinn,Tail gunner: Jim Miller (8 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KO’d #1 & #2, shot down by Hptman Horst Haase of IV Sq Gesc 3; crashed Barum, near Linden, S of Brunswick, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 9405.

Delivered Cheyenne 12/3/44; Gr Island 7/4/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-K] Molesworth 12/5/44, 360BS [PU-K]; Missing in Action Dresden {110m} 17/4/45 with Blaine Thomas, Max Bartholomew, Joe Bananno, Harry Haynes, Walter Smith, Luis Contreras (6 Prisoner of War); Ed Eschinger, Melvin Carlson (2 Killed in Action); flak, crashed Dresden; Missing Air Crew Report 14168. SACK TIME.

Delivered Cheyenne 18/1/44; Gr Island 31/1/44; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-E] Molesworth 1/3/44; Missing in Action Gera Oil Inst 19/9/44 with Carl Heleen (KIA-chute failed); Co-pilot: Stan Davidson, Navigator: Frank Hodenius, Bombardier: Grover Cummings, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Hahn, Radio Operator: Bill Gast, Ball turret gunner: Chas Gaudette, Waist gunner: Jennings Brown,Tail gunner: Jefferson Dunford (8 Prisoner of War); flak and enemy aircraft, crashed Oberhof/Thuringen, S of Gotha, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 8824. BETTY JANE.

Delivered Cheyenne 3/1/43; Gt Falls 14/1/43; Geiger 14/2/43; encountered severe weather and crashed Fairview, near Spokane 3/2/43 with Edwin Brown; crew bailed OK, one minor injury, aircraft Written off.

Delivered Denver 19/1/44; Cheyenne 22/1/44; MacDill 5/2/44; Morrison 9/3/44; Assigned 840BS/483BG Tortorella 13/3/44; transferred 96BS/2BG Amendola 31/3/44; Missing in Action {9m} Gyor, Hung. 13/4/44 with Ken Reeves, Co-pilot: Pat Kelly, Navigator: Thurman Comer, Bombardier: Bob Pioli, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Melbourne Riddle, Radio Operator: Roy Wohlbruck, Ball turret gunner: Marshall Feltner, Waist gunner: Jarrel Clendenin, Waist gunner: Cornelius Stinson,Tail gunner: John Pezel (10 Prisoner of War); flak hits plus enemy aircraft fired rocket, #3 engine on fire, aircraft exploded. Missing Air Crew Report 3917.

Delivered Cheyenne 20/12/42; Salina 7/2/43; Denver 27/2/43; Morrison 9/3/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Y] Molesworth 6/4/43; Missing in Action Wilhelmshafen (Heligoland Is) 15/5/43 with Chester Jacques, Co-pilot: Alvin Holder, Navigator: John Bradshaw, Bombardier: Bob Carlson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Lester Corns, Radio Operator: Warren Vasel, Ball turret gunner: Ward Kirkpatrick, Waist gunner: Warren Morrison, Waist gunner: Clayton Ryan,Tail gunner: Keith Clapshaw, (10 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, shot down 10 miles east of Scharnhorn Is. Missing Air Crew Report 15515.

Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-C] Bangor 11-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-62. Participated in 6 Operations – 2 Aborts. Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Sustained damage from flak, #1 engine smoking, #4 engine feathered. Attacked by fighters and shot down in the area between Brest and the coast. 8POW 2EVD. NO MACR was issued for this loss. Also named No Monkey Business at one time.

Delivered Cheyenne 14/5/43; Gore 17/5/43; Cheyenne 20/5/43; Smoky Hill 30/5/43; Tinker 19/6/43; Casper 28/6/43; Kearney 30/6/43; Greenville 7/7/43; Eglin 10/7/43; Dow Fd 12/7/43; Assigned 32BS/301BG St Donat 8/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; {18m} transferred 341BS/97BG Amendola, then weather aircraft 15/7/44; Salvaged 14/10/44. SANDMAN.

Delivered Long Beach 25/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-B] Molesworth 18/10/43; transferred 360BS [PU- ]; {6m} Missing in Action Bremen 20/12/43 with Alexander Alex, Navigator: Nick Goldschmidt, Bombardier: Albt Farrar, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Adamczyk, Radio Operator: Bill McCarren, Ball turret gunner: Harry Michels, Waist gunner: Bob Newcomb*, Waist gunner: Harry Brown*,Tail gunner: Stewart Hall* (*all repatriated) (9 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Lon Jackman (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed target area. Missing Air Crew Report 1706. SANTA ANNA.

Delivered Cheyenne 24/12/43; Billings 27/12/43; Cheyenne 3/1/44; Kearney 7/1/44; Grenier 22/1/44; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-N] Molesworth 20/2/44; over Sottevast 20/4/44; with Clinton Moser, Co-pilot: Andrew Lux (Killed in Action); Missing in Action Cologne 10/11/44 with Ray Boulter, Lew Ficken (2 Killed in Action); Art Perry, Jim Craven, Glen Wyly, Harry McElvey, Carl Frymoyer, Joe Sanzone, Stan Finch (7 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Cologne; Missing Air Crew Report 10355. MARIE.

Delivered Cheyenne 29/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-E] Molesworth 18/2/44; Missing in Action (13m) Toulouse, 25/6/44 with Bernard E. Vermeer, Co-pilot: Cliff Vaughn, Navigator: John Coener, Bombardier: Ed Barteau, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Willis Varvil, Radio Operator: Chas Moon, Ball turret gunner: John Schley, Waist gunner: Bob Kennedy,Tail gunner: Jim Ferris; eventually ran out of fuel, crashed Whitwar, near Yate, Gloucs. UK, (9 Returned to Duty). sal 25/6/44.

Delivered Cheyenne 23/7/44; Kearney 2/8/44; Dow Fd 12/8/44; Assigned 325BS/92BG [NV-J] Podington 19/8/44; Green Project Salvaged 9AF Germany 31/10/45.

Delivered Long Beach 2/9/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [PU-E] Molesworth 18/10/43; 7m Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 30/12/43 with Bill Osborn, Co-pilot: Jack Jernigan, Navigator: Ed Cobb, Radio Operator: George Daniel, Waist gunner: Earl Wolfe, Waist gunner: Vincent Reesekilled 22/4/44 in escape attempt (6 Prisoner of War); Ball turret gunner: Lyle Fitzgerald,Tail gunner: Larry Evans (2 Killed in Action), Bombardier: Nelson Campbell, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Wolff (2 evaded capture); Enemy aircraft, crash landed Froid Chapelle, 18 miles S of Charleroi, Belgium Missing Air Crew Report 1674. LADIES (WOMEN’S) HOME COMPANION.

Delivered Cheyenne 4/10/42; West Palm Beach 7/1/43; Assigned 32BS/301BG Biskra 11/1/43; Ain M’Lila 17/1/43; St Donat 6/3/43; Oudna 6/8/43; {62m} transferred 96BS/2BG Massicault 14/11/43; Bizerte 2/12/43; Amendola 9/12/43; Missing in Action {40m} Padua 11/3/44 with Bill Peters, Co-pilot: Fred Penn, Navigator: Bill Staugus, Bombardier: Raphael Rose, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Turner Pickrel, Radio Operator: Ed Spriggs, Ball turret gunner: Chas Mercier, Waist gunner: Fred Olsen, Waist gunner: George Steinhauser,Tail gunner: Hans Wenzel (10 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, wing broke off and ditched Adriatic ; Missing Air Crew Report 2836. THE GREMLIN.

Delivered Tulsa 26/11/42; West Palmm Beach 9/1/43; Assigned 341BS/97BG Biskra 21/1/43; Chateau-du-Rhumel 8/2/43; Missing in Action Grossetto A/fd 26/4/43, with Dick Charlton, Calkins, Locke, Buskin, Lent, Meares, Vince, Leffler, Walters, Thoreson. AXIS AXES.

Delivered Lincoln 1/11/44; Grenier 3/12/44; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX-N] Snetterton 7/12/44; transferred 836BS/487BG Lavenham 9/2/45; 452BG Deopham Green 30/5/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 6/6/45; Sth Plains 11/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 4/12/45.

Delivered Long Beach 11/3/43; Denver 15/3/43; Tinker 30/3/43; Homestead 7/4/43; Morrison 15/4/43; Assigned 32BS/301BG St Donat 16/4/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; {31m} transferred 49BS/2BG Amendola 14/1/44; Missing in Action Sofia 24/1/44 with Tom Grissom, Co-pilot: Royce Shellbarger, Navigator: Pat Meagher, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Drake, Waist gunner: Cecil Corbin, Waist gunner: Bill Harkness (6 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Norman Mirchin, Radio Operator: Ernie Terry, Ball turret gunner: Dave Torrey,Tail gunner: John Murray (4 Killed in Action); right wing badly damaged when hit by bombs from B-17 above, no chutes seen. Missing Air Crew Report 1993. HOT COCK.

Delivered Long Beach 19/2/43; Cheyenne 27/2/43; Salina 20/3/43; Smoky Hill 27/4/43; Assigned 353BS/301BG St Donat 17/5/43; Oudna 6/8/43; {19m} transferred 20BS/2BG Bizerte 14/11/43; Amendola 9/12/43; Missing in Action {20m} Sofia 10/1/44 with Tom Finch, Co-pilot: Gene Weller, Navigator: Tom Wyatt, Bombardier: Bill Golden, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Pysnik, Waist gunner: Walt Kluttz,Tail gunner: Carole Gantt (7 Killed in Action); Radio Operator: Harry Ross, Ball turret gunner: Bob Schumaker, Waist gunner: Don Swank (3 Prisoner of War) ; enemy aircraft hit over target, no chutes seen; Missing Air Crew Report 1824. READY TEDDY- THE LAST OF THE ITSABITCHIS.

Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-P] Bangor 9/10/42; Molesworth 25/10/42; force landed RAF Chipping Warden 23/1/43 with Ross Bates, 10RTD; Missing in Action 28m Gelsenkirchen 5/11/43 with Ambrose Grant, Co-pilot: Frank Hall, Navigator: Jim Berger, Bombardier: Marion Blackburn, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tony Kujawa, Radio Operator: Ed Sexton, Ball turret gunner: Chester Petrosky, Waist gunner: Harry Kraft,Tail gunner: Francis Andersen (9 Prisoner of War), Waist gunner: Joe Hauer (Killed in Action); flak hit crashed Wouw, four miles W of Roosendal, Holl. Missing Air Crew Report 1157. THE RAMBLIN’ WRECK aka IDAHO POTATO PEELER.

Delivered Dallas 14/5/44; Langley 29/6/44; Grenier 24/7/44; Assigned 837BS/487BG [4F-J] Lavenham 28/10/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 14/7/45; Independence 17/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 167/12/45.

Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-O] with its crew on 1-Jul-42 at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. The aircraft and crew were sent to Dow Field Bangor, Maine on 4-Oct-42 to prepare for overseas deployment; Molesworth 21-Oct-42; battle damaged 20-Dec-42 on mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Pilot and Co-Pilot brought ship back to crash-landed at Bovingdon The rest of the crew baled out over England. Aircraft was DBR and salvaged 23-Dec-42. Participated in 7 Operations (2 were Aborted).

Delivered Cheyenne 11/9/43; Scott 19/9/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-J] Molesworth 18/10/43; battle damaged Berlin 6/3/44 but got back to base; 2 SAD Lt Staughton, ret 9/4/44; dec war weary 9/4/45; Salvaged Alconbury 1/6/45. ALOHA.