42-107035 Reluctant Lady

Bomber plane parked on muddy ground. There are two men standing on the wings and several ladders underneath plane. Men in uniform on all sides of the plane and three men in uniform standing in the foreground looking into a hole in the ground UPL 61042 UPL 61042 42-107035 "Reluctant Lady" narrowly escaped destruction from one of seven 500 pound bombs a German JU 88 dropped on Great Ashfield the afternoon of May 23,1944. Only one bomb met its mark destroying hanger No. 1 containing "Powerful Katrinka" (42-31928).

https://www.385thbga.com/wp-content/uploads/Apr-2019_OCR_Optimize.pdf

Object Number - UPL 61042 - 42-107035 "Reluctant Lady" narrowly escaped destruction from one of seven 500 pound bombs a German JU 88 dropped on Great Ashfield the afternoon of...

Delivered Tulsa 3/2/44; Dow Fd 24/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 30/4/44; transferred 548BS/385BG [GX-L] Gt Ashfield 6/5/44; Missing in Action Bremen 26/9/44 with Chas Lundsberg, Co-pilot: J. M. Elzey, Navigator: Bob Smallman, Bombardier: John Wise, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cosmo Rabasco, Radio Operator: Forrest Sampson, Ball turret gunner: Bill Sizer, Waist gunner: Jack Walker, Tail gunner: Ed Morgan and ph-Alex Behr (10 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Jesteburg, NW of Lueneburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 10204. RELUCTANT LADY.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.

385th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Alexander Behr

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: PH/Passenger

J M Ellzey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Paul Gelman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-716294
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Charles W Lundsberg

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Edward D Morgan

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 26 September 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

Contributed courtesy of the 385th BG Association.  https://www.385thbga.com/wp-content/uploads/Apr-2019_OCR_Optimize.pdf

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.

Date
Contributorclunds
Changes
Sources

photos, official mission records

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 10204 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-107035: Gallery (2 items)

Bomber plane parked on muddy ground. There are two men standing on the wings and several ladders underneath plane. Men in uniform on all sides of the plane and three men in uniform standing in the foreground looking into a hole in the ground

Object number: UPL 61042 - 42-107035 "Reluctant Lady" narrowly escaped...

Object number: UPL 7081 - Unknown personnel next to Reluctant Lady nose art.