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B-17 Flying Fortress
German soldiers inspect the damaged tail section of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102511) that has crashed near Lechfield. First handwritten caption on reverse: '19-7-44.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: 'Photo No 1- tail of B-17 G serial no 42.102511, 398th (B) Group. On left side in the background the burning rest's of the front part.'
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102511) of the 392nd Bomb Group crashes near Althegnenburg in Germany, 19 July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Front part comes down strait[sic]. Photo No. 2. 19/7/44 A, 259.'](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-414221.jpg?itok=a5U73_2N)
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102511) of the 392nd Bomb Group crashes near Althegnenburg in Germany, 19 July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Front part comes down strait[sic]. Photo No. 2. 19/7/44 A, 259.'
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102511) of the 392nd Bomb Group crashes near Althegnenburg in Germany, 19 July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Photo No. 3. The front part exploded on the ground, see the smoke, the tail comes fluttering down, see left top corner. 19/7/44 B, 260.'
Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/44; Gr Island 27/3/44; Dow Fd 6/4/44; Assigned 602BS/398BG [K8-P] Nuthampstead 27/4/44; (24m) Missing in Action Lechfeld 19/7/44 with Dallas Hawkins, Co-pilot: Earl Hart, Navigator: Joe Doglio, Bombardier: John Loomis, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gordon Sudborough, Radio Operator: Paul Bunning, Ball turret gunner: Tom Garrett,Tail gunner: Gregory Groncki (8 Killed in Action); Waist gunner: Doyle Borchers (Prisoner of War); flak hit #2 gas tank, ship exploded and tg blew out; crashed Weil, near Epfenhausen, Sth of Augsburg, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 7544.
Group
The 398th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire on strategic bombing raids over Germany. The Group switched focus in the days before D-Day, when they targeted enemy positions on the Cherbourg peninsula. When the Allies...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil in B-17 #42102511. Only survivor when plane hit directly by flak and fell to pieces. He wrote a book about his experience.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil in B-17 #42102511
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 398th Bomb Group
The crew of B-17 #42102511 was Killed in Action (KIA) on 19 July 1944 while on a bombing mission to Lechfeld, Germany. It was Lt. Doglio's 15th mission. There was one survivor--the waist gunner. Lt. Doglio enlisted as a mechanic on 2 November 1942. He...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil in B-17 #42102511
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil on 7/19/44 in B-17 #42102511
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 398th Bomb Group
2nd Lieutenant Dallas L. Hawkins was born December 24, 1918. His next of kin were his wife, Mary Lee Hawkins, and his parents, Ralph and Elsie Hawkins. His hometown was Worthington, West Virginia.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil on 7/19/44 in B-17 42-102511.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball-turret gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Bob Rowland flew 35 missions in 1944 with the 398th BG from Nuthampstead.
air medal
In 2017, Bob was awarded the French Legion d'Honneur.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Shot down by flak and crashed near Weil in B-17 342102511
Military site : airfield
Built during 1942-43, Nuthampstead was the nearest Eighth Air Force heavy bomber base to London. It had three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. It was first occupied from September 1943 to April 1944 by the 55th...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 19 July 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:40:10 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 7544 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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