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

Delivered 20BS/2BG Langley 14-Sep-37; transferred 19BG March Fd Oct-40; Amarillo 19-Nov-42; 65 flts; Written off 15-Jan-43. [aircraft No. 52]. This aircraft never served in combat and was never posted to the UK.

Delivered Cheyenne 11/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 92BG Podington 30/4/44; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-O] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Henry Jespersen, Co-pilot: Bob Atkins, Bombardier: Joe Savino, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: George Kostoulakos, Waist gunner: John Legg (5 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Burton Seeley, Radio Operator: Frank Gronkowski, Ball turret gunner: Frank Fischer, Waist gunner: Tom Kiriako,Tail gunner: John Durrenberger (5 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Berkenthin, eight miles W of Ratzeburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 5169. TIMES A-WASTIN’.

Cheyenne 1/3/44; Hunter 14/3/44; Grenier 11/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-H] Thorpe Abbotts 19/4/44; Missing in Action St Lo, 25/7/44 with Larry Townsend, Co-pilot: Andy Burkhart, Navigator: Arnold Holmes, Bombardier: George Gardner, Radio Operator: Lou Glasser, Ball turret gunner: Chalmers Anderson, Waist gunner: Gordon Lane,Tail gunner: Earl Milam (8 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Walt Kolar (EVD, joined US tank crew); flak KO’d #2, crashed coastal area of France. Missing Air Crew Report 7837. LADY LUCK.

Delivered Cheyenne 3/5/44; Hunter 17/5/44; Dow Fd 30/5/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR- ] Thorpe Abbotts 1/6/44; Missing in Action French A/fds 12/6/44 with John Ryan, Co-pilot: Joe Tobiczyk, Navigator: Hans Chorpenning, Bombardier: Carl McGinty, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Marvin Fenner, Ball turret gunner: Jim Healy, Waist gunner: Archie McFarland, Waist gunner: Harry Whipple,Tail gunner: Elmer Andersen (9 Killed in Action); Radio Operator: George Sherback (Prisoner of War); flak KO’d #4, the fire spreading and wing broke off, crashed sea nine miles off Dunkerque, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 5625. PACK OF TROUBLE.

Delivered 49BS/2BG Langley 30-Jun-37; transferred 19BG March Fd Oct-40; Amarillo 13-Oct-42; 65 flts; Written off 18-Dec-42. [aircraft No. 82]. This aircraft never served in combat and was never posted to the UK.

Delivered SAAD 9/7/42; Lowry 26/7/42; Assigned 15PRS/3PRG Membury, UK 7/9/42; Steeple Morden 27/10/42; transferred 12AF Le Senia, Alg. 6/12/42; Algiers 25/12/42; Le Kroub 5/6/43; La Marsa 28/6/43; Grottaglie 4/10/43; Bari 28/12/43; Returned to the USA Keesler 6/1/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Albuquerque 25/6/45. I GOT SPURS.

Delivered Cheyenne 30/4/44; Kearney 11/5/44; Grenier 27/5/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-S] Thorpe Abbotts 30/5/44; Missing in Action Halberstadt 5/8/44 with Tony Gallagher, Co-pilot: Gordon Bowen, Navigator: Bill Edmondson, Bombardier: Ralph Ingalls, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Lucas, Radio Operator: Albert Prince, Ball turret gunner: Walt Wittendorf, Waist gunner: John Zaher,Tail gunner: Herman Hartmoor (9 Killed in Action); flak hit as bombs were released and ship disintegrated, crashed Magdeburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 7878. SASSY LASSY.

Delivered Cheyenne 27/5/44; Kearney 7/6/44; Grenier 18/6/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-L] Thorpe Abbotts 3/7/44; Missing in Action Magdeburg 5/8/44 with Bert Scott, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Lloyd Maltbie (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Elmore Harvey, Navigator: Edward J Konopack, Bombardier: Dan Sullivan, Radio Operator: Bealer Moore, Ball turret gunner: Dick Goff, Waist gunner: Jim Rakosnik,Tail gunner: John Eschbach (7 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed on afd near Gerwisch and Biederitz, NE of Magdeburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 7879.

Delivered Kearney 28/6/44; Dow Fd 9/7/44; Assigned 839BS/487BG Lavenham 12/7/44; transferred 833BS/486BG [2N-M] Sudbury 27/10/44; {7m} battle damaged Merseburg 30/11/44 with ?; force landed Melsbroek, Bel; Salvaged 21/12/44.

Delivered Cheyenne 17/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Dow Fd 6/5/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG Andrews Fd 9/5/43 WORRY WART; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 532BS/381BG Ridgewell 16/7/43; Missing in Action {1m} Hamburg (Heide) 25/7/43 with Capt Joe Alexander, Co-pilot: Bill Crowley, Navigator: Jack Wemmer, Bombardier: Harry Hellman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Nance, Radio Operator: George Orin, Ball turret gunner: Pete Garvan, Waist gunner: Jim Heist, Waist gunner: Walt Ferens,Tail gunner: George Johnson (10 Prisoner of War); flak damage too serious to attempt UK return, crashed Sudmoor, near Aurich, E of Emden Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 131.

Delivered Cheyenne 21/4/43; Tinker 27/4/43; New Castle 30/4/43; Presque Is 5/5/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-J] Ridgewell 15/6/43; Missing in Action 6m Cologne 4/3/44 with Dave Keyes, Co-pilot: Rich Seal, Navigator: Ralph Lynch, Bombardier: John Hughes, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Van Voorhis, Radio Operator: John Fair, Ball turret gunner: Theo Simone, Waist gunner: Henry Levandoski, Waist gunner: Dale Hillett,Tail gunner: Chas Davis (10 Prisoner of War); mech fault, force landed La Bagarre, Clairmarais, three miles NE of St Omer, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 2910. SPARE PARTS.

Delivered Denver 6/12/43; Kearney 24/12/43; Memphis 2/1/44; Drew Fd 4/1/44; Morrison 8/1/44; Assigned 774BS/463BG Celone 9/3/44; Missing in Action Blechhammer 7/7/44 with Don Doran, Co-pilot: Maurice Davis, Navigator: Pat Gaughan, Bombardier: Jim Slaughter, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Shephard, Radio Operator: Bill Marcks, Ball turret gunner: Jim Howard, Waist gunner: Bob Moran, Waist gunner: Dan O’Connell,Tail gunner: Manny Remplakis (10POW?); enemy aircraft, crashed Vicany, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 6864. THE JOKER (painted on tail fin.)

Delivered Cheyenne 22/2/43; delivered by 25Ferry Sd/7Ferry Gp to Gowen Fd where it was damaged in landing with Tom Jenkins 25/2/43; Cheyenne 23/3/43; Smoky Hill 4/4/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-G] Alconbury 20/4/43; Framlingham 12/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 2m, transferred 324BS/91BG [DF-B1] Bassingbourn 16/6/43; Missing in Action Hamburg 25/7/43 with Marshall Pilert, Co-pilot: Bernie Rauch, Navigator: Larry Conners, Bombardier: Ed Goetz, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: George Carrier, Radio Operator: Gerard McKenna, Waist gunner: Tom Jackson, Waist gunner: Bill Bartholomew,Tail gunner: Harry Malas (9 Prisoner of War); Ball turret gunner: Warren Haynes (Killed in Action); flak, KO’d #4 then tail assembly, crashed near Heide airfield on German coast. Missing Air Crew Report 94.

Delivered Hunter 17/1/45; Grenier 30/1/45; Assigned 836BS/487BG [2G-E] Lavenham 12/4/45; in base landing accident with Garland Vanderventer 9/6/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 11/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 10/11/45.

Delivered Cheyenne 3/1/44; Kearney 14/1/44; Presque Is 3/2/44; Grenier 11/2/44; Assigned 418BS/100BG [LD-Y] Thorpe Abbotts 16/2/44; Missing in Action Misburg/Hamburg 31/12/44 with Paul Carroll, Co-pilot: Harry Winger, Navigator: George Klare, Bombardier: Cliff Averett, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Irvin Olson, Radio Operator: Lee Westman, Ball turret gunner: Larry Isola, Waist gunner: Otis Ross,Tail gunner: Fred Bracken (9 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crash landed Wesermunde, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 11365. MISS CHIEF.

Delivered Cheyenne 15/11/43; Presque Is 6/12/43; Nutts Corner, N.I. 27/12/43; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-J] Thorpe Abbotts 22/12/43; 351BS [EP- ] ; sal battle damaged 25/4/44 with Jim Stout, Rest unknown;. WATICARE aka LADEN MAIDEN II.

Delivered Cheyenne 15/11/43; Syracuse 7/12/43; Presque Isle 15/12/43; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-O] Thorpe Abbotts 28/12/43; Missing in Action Schwelswig A/Fd 3/3/44 with John Gossage, Co-pilot: Bert McNeil, Navigator: Ed Werner, Bombardier: Howard Ball, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Art Cooper, Radio Operator: Mike Polanick, Ball turret gunner: Tom Wooderson, Waist gunner: Don Sackrider, Waist gunner: Jim Gregg,Tail gunner: Art Congrove (10 Prisoner of War); damaged by wreckage from two colliding 100BG ships above, pilot headed for Sweden but crash landed at an airfield near Schelswig, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3025. ONE MISSION LU LU (?TEN BATTY BOYS). (Sal by Luftwaffe and restored for KG 200).

Delivered Cheyenne 14/11/43; Kearney 8/12/43; Presque Is 9/12/43; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-B] Thorpe Abbotts 16/12/43; Missing in Action Berlin 4/3/44 with Stan Seaton, Co-pilot: Bill Clayton, Navigator: Chas Dewolfe, Bombardier: George Ofiesh, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Peter Hogan, Radio Operator: Joe Judd, Ball turret gunner: Bob Cook, Waist gunner: Loydell Malone, Waist gunner: Art Le Breque (9 Prisoner of War);Tail gunner: Leming Hull (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Rech/Ahrweiler, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3024. SEATON’S SAD SACK.

Delivered Cheyenne 12/11/43; New Castle 7/12/43; Presque Isle 11/12/43; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-P] Thorpe Abbotts 17/12/43; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Ed Handorf, Co-pilot: Fred Spence, Navigator: John Dewey, Bombardier: Norman Rasmussen, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Ford, Radio Operator: Henry Verdeur, Ball turret gunner: Allen Horton, Waist gunner: John Gverovich (8 Killed in Action); Waist gunner: John Willsey,Tail gunner: Larry Fair{broke leg in landing} (2 Prisoner of War); an ME109 hit wing tanks, ship then exploded crashed Jardinghausen, E of Bassum, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3023. KINDA RUFF.

Delivered Hunter 4/9/44; Grenier 22/9/44; Assigned 429BS/2BG Amendola 3/10/44; [?ditched Adriatic Sea with Dale Gold 18/12/44?]; severe battle damaged Maribor 1/4/45 with W.B. Cope; three engines out, landed Prakos, Yugo (crew ret in C-47); aircraft repaired and flew back to base; Returned to the USA Bradley 12/7/45; Independence 6/8/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 21/12/45.