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B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17G-55-BO #42-102565 "The Ugly Duckling" Code: 3O-M 398th BG - 601st BS
John H. Davis' Crew. This photo was taken on 28th July 1944, before the crew set off on mission no. 56 to Merseburg, Germany. Back Row, L-R: Pilot-1st Lt. John H. Davis Co-pilot-2nd Lt. Edwin D. Stewart Navigator-2nd Lt. Samuel Sass Bombardier-2nd Lt. John B. Guarisco Front Row, L-R: Gunner-S/Sgt. Leroy Whitehead Radio-T/Sgt. Raymond J. Walrath Ball Turret-S/Sgt. Frank Macyda Engineer-T/Sgt. Leroy Hill Gunner-S/Sgt. Daniel Lewis
398th Bomb Group. "The Ugly Duckling" B-17. 42-102565 30-M (Assigned to 601st Squadron at the end of April 1944 to Nov. 1944). Jimmy Fong is painting.
398th Bomb Group. "The Ugly Duckling" motif (nose art) on 42-102565 30-M.
Delivered Cheyenne 15/3/44; Kearney 31/3/44; Dow Fd 8/4/44; Assigned 601BS/398BG [3O-M/H] Nuthampstead 27/4/44.
On mission of 30/8/44 with Bill McCartney, (8 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Darrell Argubright (KIA-bailed out over Baltic Sea when smoke started in fuselage, fire put out and ship came home to land RAF Langham, Nfk.; (68m)
Failed to return from Misburg 26/11/44 with Ben Rolfe, Co-pilot: Paul Doyle, Navigator: Vernon Anderson, Bombardier: Dick Rimmer, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Price, Radio Operator: Frank Iaconis, Ball turret gunner: Jim Coulson, Waist gunner: Arthur Schmidt,Tail gunner: Tom Pozder (9 Killed in Action); flak, crashed into Ijsselmeer, near Zwolle, Hol; Missing Air Crew Report 11147.
THE UGLY DUCKLING.
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 | Waist Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 398th Bomb Group
Shot down 26 November 1944 in B-17 #42102565 'The Ugly Duckling. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 398th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) Bailed out over target 30 Aug, 1944 Kiel, Germany
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Shot down 26 November 1944 in B-17 #42102565 'The Ugly Duckling. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 398th Bomb Group
Shot down 26 November 1944 in B-17 #42102565 'The Ugly Duckling. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 398th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 398th Bomb Group
He earned his DFC by saving the plane and crew through his radio operating skills. According to story by tail gunner on the crew. The navigator had bailed out already for some reason.
Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Clusters , DFC
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
On his 29th mission Hall was flying tail gunner as a spare with a different crew when they were shot down near Eindhoven. They ejected safely but Hall had a piece of shrapnel lodged in his hip and could not walk. Not being certain if they were in enemy...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 398th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 398th Bomb Group
Shot down 26 November 1944 in B-17 #42102565 'The Ugly Duckling. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
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 | IJsselmeer, Netherlands | 26 November 1944 |
|
Aircraft written off (damaged beyond repair) at Ijsslmeer, Netherlands. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 28 January 2015 12:46:56 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to description, events and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
FTR detail updated from : http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=49614 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 January 2015 12:07:40 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated mission from details given at http://www.airmen.dk |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:10 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 11147 / MACR 8457 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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