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43-37933

B-17 Flying Fortress

  • A bomber crew of the 487th Bomb Group and their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37933) nicknamed

    A bomber crew of the 487th Bomb Group and their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37933) nicknamed "Yankee Maid". Image via Roy K Snell. Snell has handwritten on the reverse: 'Our "Yankee Made" [sic] and the crew after about 30 missions. Squadron engineering officer in overseas cap.'

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Delivered Cheyenne 6/6/44; Kearney 18/6/44; Grenier 1/7/44; Assigned 838BS/487BG Lavenham 2/7/44; Missing in Action Derben, Ger 14/1/45 with Harry Nyland, Bill Rhett, Ray Litka, John Claxton, Angelo Ovial, Saverio Costantino, Francis Wetzel, Ed Kolb (8 Prisoner of War); Frank Abbote (Killed in Action); mid air coll with 42-98013 (487BG); crashed Redefin, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 11732. YANKEE MAID.

Service

Units

  • 487th Bomb Group

    487th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 487th Bomb Group began operations as preparations for D-Day were reaching their crescendo and played their part by bombing airfields in northern France. Like the 486th Bomb Group, the 487th switched to B-17 Flying Fortress for missions from 1...

  • 838th Bomb Squadron

    838th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Frank Abbote

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 487th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 14 January 1945 Purple Heart Note: His family name was Abbate, but the spelling of his surname was changed to Abbote in military records by February 1942, when he registered for the draft.

  • John Claxton

    Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 1/14/45 in B-17 'Yankee Maid' #43-37933

  • Saverio Costantino

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 14 Jan 1945 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • Edward Kolb

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 14 Jan 1945 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • Raymond Litka

    Military | Sergeant | Bombardier, Nose Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 1/14/45 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • Harry Nyland

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 1/14/45 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • Angelo Ovial

    Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 14 Jan 1945 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • William Rhett

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 14 Jan 1945 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

  • Francis Wetzel

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Crashed at Redefin on 1/14/45 in B-17G #43-37933 'Yankee Maid'.

Places

  • Lavenham

    Military site : airfield
    Lavenham was built as a standard USAAF bomber airfield, with fifty hardstandings, T2 hangars and 2,000 and 1,400 feet runways. John Laing and Son Ltd. carried out the work in 1943, and the airfield opened in April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group occupied...

Events

Event Location Date
Failed to Return (FTR) Germany 14 January 1945
Nicknames
'YANKEE MAID'
Production block number
B-17G-75-BO Fortress
Manufacturer
Boeing
Markings and paint scheme/livery
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
28 February 2020 02:40:35 jmoore43 Changes to nicknames
Sources

Added the A/C nickname mentioned in the A/C “Description”.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:41:25 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 11732 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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