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

Delivered Cheyenne 28/10/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-W] Molesworth 18/1/44; Missing in Action Berlin (36m) 19/5/44 with Ernie Roth, Navigator: George Bays, Bombardier: Herman Moening, Radio Operator: Earl Buckingham, Ball turret gunner: Ralph Streicher, Waist gunner: John Kurzawksi (6 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Don Gibbons, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Fred Dexter, Waist gunner: Armout Martins,Tail gunner: Henry Gardner (4 Prisoner of War); flak on nose and blew off #3, exploded and crashed Pichelsberg, near Berlin; Missing Air Crew Report 4949. WOOF aka SKY DUSTER.

Delivered Cheyenne 4/7/44; Kearney 13/7/44; Grenier 20/7/44; Assigned 730BS/452BG [6K-E] Deopham Green; battle damaged over Handorf Afd, Ger 21/3/45; with Luther Chastain, Co-pilot: Jim Cosman, Navigator: Frank carpenter, Bombardier: Jim Bangert, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Lyle Cain, Radio Operator: Rueben Garrison, Ball turret gunner: Bob Watkins, Waist gunner: Luther Cox,Tail gunner: Jim Wilson; limped home and crash landed but all crew OK; later Sal; CHASTAIN’S KINDERGARTEN.

Delivered Long Beach 25/8/43; Scott 19/9/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-P] Molesworth 13/10/43; crash landed at base on practice flight when u/c collapsed, with Don Stoulil, Co-pilot: Ed Callahan, Navigator: Harry Susskind, Bombardier: George Trewicki, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gene Romer, Radio Operator: Jim Owen, g-Ken Holder, g-Calvin Turkington,Tail gunner: George Green (9 Returned to Duty); sal 19/12/43. MISS MANOOKI.

Delivered Wright Fd 28/7/42; Patterson 29/7/42; Wright Mat Com 19/10/42; Tinker 25/4/43; Vandalia (glider testing) 16/8/43. MISS BARBARA.

Delivered Cheyenne 29/5/43; Gore 31/5/43; Rapid City 16/6/43; Dow Fd 5/7/43; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-P] Alconbury 7/8/43; 326BS [JW-P]; Missing in Action Frankfurt 4/2/44 with Larry Cook, Co-pilot: Bob Bangs, Navigator: Don Caylor, Bombardier: Emmett Bell, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Booth, Radio Operator: Jay Joyce, Ball turret gunner: John Kyler, Waist gunner: John Alexander (8 Prisoner of War); Waist gunner: Milo Blakeley,Tail gunner: Tom Mikulka (2 evaded capture) flak, crashed Kurzel, nine miles N of Hasselt, Bel; Missing Air Crew Report 2237.

Delivered Lincoln 18/9/44; Grenier 30/9/44; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-C] Molesworth 28/10/44; battle damaged Lutzkendorf 9/2/45 with Jack Bailey, Merwin Hall (2 Returned to Duty); Bill Fisher, Bill McGuire, Carl Muller, Elwin Darden, Don Geng, Ed Bartkoski, Merle Eckert (7 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crash landed St Trond, Bel; Salvaged 17/3/45; Missing Air Crew Report 12230.

Delivered Long Beach 31/8/43; Scott 18/9/43; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-H] Molesworth 18/10/43, 359BS [BN-B]; Missing in Action Hamm (28m) 22/4/44 with Roy Larson, Bombardier: Milton Feinman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tom Campbell,Tail gunner: Herman Lodge (4 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Ron Duncan, Navigator: Herb Levy, Radio Operator: Everett Culp, Ball turret gunner: Lee Brim, Waist gunner: Art Schinker, Waist gunner: Duane Thayer (6 Prisoner of War); flak set engine on fire, exploded before crew could bale, crashed Delecke, six miles S of Soest, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 4272. THRU HEL’EN HIWATER.

Delivered Lowry 29/7/42; Hamilton 31/8/42; Assigned 403BS/43BG Mareeba, Aus 9/9/42; Torrens Creek, Aus 27/9/42; Iron Range, Aus 17/10/42; Milne Bay, NG 23/11/42; then 63BS at Port Morseby, NG; Missing in Action with Capt Byron Beichel, Co-pilot: Berry Rucks, Navigator: Marcus Mangett, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Fritz*, Radio Operator: Clarry Surrett, Waist gunner: Jim Etheridge{Wounded in Action}, Waist gunner: Ken Vetter {Wounded in Action},Tail gunner: Frank Kurisko* (8POW, * died en route Japan); Bombardier: Oscar Linsley, Navigator: E.D. Bleiler, Waist gunner: Sgt Fleiger (3KIA in crash); shot down on recon mission over Kavieng, New Ireland and ditched on Komalu beach 7/5/43. THE RECKLESS MOUNTAIN BOYS.

Delivered Cheyenne 12/2/43; Rapid City 22/2/43; Kearney 12/3/43. Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-B] Alconbury 15/4/43. 334BG [BG-B] MASON’S MORONS – Framlingham 12/5/43. With R.C. Mason, force landed RAF Colerne 17/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 7m. Transferred to 360BS/303BG [PU-B] Molesworth 17/6/43. Missing in Action Watten 27/8/43 with: (7 Prisoner of War): George Crockett, Pilot; Israel Millner, Navigator; Allen Jaynes, Radio Operator; Gene Williams, Left Waist gunner; Eddie Homer, Right Waist gunner; Ben Clarke, Ball turret gunner; Jim Burke, Tail gunner. 3 killed in action: Meran Barsam, Co-pilot; Bill Cramsie, Bombardier; Morris Tepper , Flight engineer. Flak hit in bomb bay, exploded and crashed at St Omer, near Merville, France. Missing Air Crew Report 405. SHANGRI-LA LIL.

Delivered 4/9/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 18/10/43; transferred 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 23/10/43; re-ass 547BS/384BG [SO- ] Grafton Underwood 2/11/43; transferred 526BS/379BG [LF-T] Kimbolton 7/11/43; crashed RAF Wilton, UK 2/12/44; sal 2 SAD Warton, Nfk 5/12/44. JUST SO aka PATCHES.

Delivered Long Beach 30/8/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-R] Molesworth 18/10/43; Missing in Action Frankfurt 29/1/44 with Jim Fowler, Bombardier: Alvin Taylor {Wounded in Action}, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Curtis Finley, Radio Operator: Don Dinwiddle,Tail gunner: Jack Ferguson {Wounded in Action} (5 Prisoner of War), Co-pilot: Bernie Rawlings, Navigator: Joe Thompson {Wounded in Action}, Ball turret gunner: Dick Arrington, Waist gunner: Loren Zimmer (4 evaded capture via Spain, Sept ‘44), Waist gunner: Miller Jackson (Killed in Action); feathered #3 & #4 KO’d, hit by Fw190, crashed Soire St Gery, 17 miles SW of Charleroi, Bel; Missing Air Crew Report 2260. G.I. SHEETS.

Cheyenne 13/7/42; Lowry 3/8/42; Assigned 64BS/19BG Mareeba, Aus 21/8/42; transferred 65BS/43BG Torrens Creek, Aus; Iron Range, Aus 17/10/42; Milne Bay, NG 23/11/42; shot down over Rabaul 5/1/43 with Major Allen Lindbergh, Co-pilot: Capt Benton Daniel*, Navigator: John Hanson, Bombardier: Bob Hand, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dennis Craig, Radio Operator: Quentin Blakely, Waist gunner: Les Stewart, Waist gunner: Leland Stone,Tail gunner: Bill Fraser, obs-Maj Jack Bleasdale*, obs-Brig Gen Ken Walker, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor (11 Killed in Action). *These two men mentioned in later documents as POW, as seemn in pow camps. Missing Air Crew Report 15359. SAN ANTONIO ROSE.

Delivered Long Beach 30/8/43; Scott 17/9/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG Molesworth 19/10/43; transferred 545BS/384BG [JD- ] Grafton Underwood 2/11/43; then transferred 526BS/379BG [LF-B] Kimbolton 11/11/43; Missing in Action Berlin 19/5/44 with Merlyn Wilson, Co-pilot: Dean Reid, Navigator: Fred High, Bombardier: Henry McGreevy, Radio Operator: Clayton Bates, Ball turret gunner: John Strouse, Waist gunner: Wayne Davis,Tail gunner: Albt Van Dyke (8 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Art Stanton (KIA- shot after he bailed out); flak, crashed Kletkamp, near Blekendorf, four miles SE of Lutjenburg, 20 miles SE of Kiel, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 4929. BLUES IN THE KNIGHT.

Delivered Long Beach 30/8/43; Scott 17/9/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 18/10/43; transferred 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 23/10/43; re-ass 544BS/384BG [SU-J] Grafton Underwood 2/11/43; Missing in Action Frankfurt 8/2/44 with Royston Covington, Radio Operator: Ken Christian (2 evaded capture); Co-pilot: Jim Geary, Navigator: Floyd Ohlson, Bombardier: Tom McGuinn, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Younker, Ball turret gunner: Bill Onstad, Waist gunner: Bill Caine{evaded until 28/3/44}, Waist gunner: Stan Whitney,Tail gunner: Alec Wasilewski (8 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Rethel, five miles SE of Cherbourg, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 2496. CABIN IN THE SKY.

Delivered Long Beach 31/8/43; Scott 19/9/43; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-L] Molesworth 18/10/43; transferred training 12/2/44; re-ass Ferry Command 20/5/45; retUS Lubbock 10/6/45; 2532 BU Randolph 15/1/46; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 12/3/46. OLD FAITHFUL aka WAR BRIDE aka WANTON (WATCH) WOMAN.

Delivered Cheyenne 13/7/42; Lowry 3/8/42; Assigned 26BS/11BG Wheeler Fd, Hawaii 21/8/42; transferred 31BS/5BG Guadalcanal 2/43; damaged on landing 23/4/43 when ground looped with Capt Leon Rockwell; salvaged but Written off 30/4/45. AZTEC’S CURSE.

Delivered Long Beach 3/9/43; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-M] Thorpe Abbotts 29/9/43; Missing in Action Frankfurt 4/2/44 with John Brown, Navigator: Theo Kleinman (2 evaded capture); Co-pilot: Albt Fitzpatrick, Bombardier: Lawson Clements, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Lola Florida, Radio Operator: George Toomey, Ball turret gunner: Gordon Keon{Wounded in Action}, Waist gunner: Harry Janderup,Tail gunner: Rich Tangradi (7 Prisoner of War); Waist gunner: Bill Kemp (Killed in Action); flak KO’d three engines, crashed NE of Olen, just SW of Kasterlee, Bel; Missing Air Crew Report 2564. DODIE or DOBIE.

Delivered Long Beach 4/9/43; Assigned 535BS/381BG [MS-L] Ridgewell 23/1/44; transferred 837BS/487BG Lavenham 17/7/44, then 838BS; retUS 1377 BU Grenier 24/9/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 14/12/45. BUCKET O’ BOLTS.

Delivered Long Beach 3/9/43; Scott 21/9/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 21/10/43; transferred 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 2/11/43; re-ass 546BS/384BG [BK- ] Grafton Underwood 2/11/43; Missing in Action Leverkusen (Solingen) 1/12/43 with R. A. Martin, Co-pilot: Bill Laseur, Navigator: John Kazmerski, Bombardier: Chas Fleenor, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gerry Wilson, Radio Operator: Jim Schwartz, Ball turret gunner: Walt Miller, Waist gunner: G. Grant, Waist gunner: – Rutherford,Tail gunner: Homer Taylor. (10 Returned to Duty); enemy aircraft, ditched Channel, all rescued by ASR. Missing Air Crew Report 1334.

Delivered Cheyenne 13/8/42 with Ben Pickenbrock; Salina 23/11; Cheyenne 30/1/43; Walla Walla 23/2/43; Geiger 30/4/43; Walla Walla 9/5/43; Spokane 25/6/43; Gt Falls 1/8/43; with P.C. Wells force landed base 3/2/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Albuquerque 25/6/45.