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B-17 Flying Fortress
Henningsen Crew; 447th Bomb Group, 710th Squadron; photo taken at Rattlesden, England. Standing, L-R: Doyle Shields, Robert Manuel (?), Eldon Henningsen, Jerry Rothstein, Eugene Wulfe (?),; Kneeling, L-R: William HOlloman, Harry Long, Lee Plant, Otis Lumpkin, John Kates. Although the crew is posed in front of 43-38731 (Blythe Spirit), that aircraft was assigned to the 711th squadron and is probably just a convenient backdrop.
Delivered Lincoln 13/9/44; Grenier 27/9/44; Assigned 711BS/447BG Rattlesden 1/10/44; Missing in Action Oranienburg 15/3/45 with Harluf Jessen, Harry Pfautz, Karl Laubhan, Dick Kirkorowski, Helmer Gangestad, Claude Gatlin, Ed Evans tg, Cecil Campbell obs (8 Killed in Action); Bob Dwight, Walt Hoffman (2 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Schonhausen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 13044. BLYTHE SPIRIT.
Group
The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces...
Squadron
Military | Flight Officer | Bombardier | 447th Bomb Group
June 1, 1922: Edward Aloysius Blattner (Nickname: "Buddy") was born in Chicago Illinois
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
Damaged 34th BG aircraft (#43-38971) mid-air collision with Ol' Scrapiron (#42-31582). Ol' Scrapiron broke apart at the waist on 23 Mar 1945. Seven crewmen of Ol' Scrapiron killed in Action (KIA) including Bruckman. Two survived (Schlag and Shibble).
Military | Sergeant | Observer | 447th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Schonhausen on 15 Mar 45 in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' #4338731
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Schonhausen in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' #4338731
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Schonhausen in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' 43-38731
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Schonhausen in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' #4338731
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 447th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed on 15 Mar 45 in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' #4338731
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 447th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Schonhausen in B-17 'Blythe Spirit' #4338731
11 March 1945
Narrative - Official Air Force Mission Description
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Military site : airfield
Built for the Eighth Air Force in 1942, Rattlesden had three concrete runways, 50 hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. Intended to be a twin-engine B-26 bomber base, it was originally a satellite for nearby Rougham, and first occupied from...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 15 March 1945 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 September 2018 21:41:04 | jhuck | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
From the files of John G Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:41:32 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 13044 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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