B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 92BG Bangor 14 July 1942. Transferred 414BS/97BG Polebrook 24 August 1942. To Maison Blanche, Algiers, Algeria 13 November 1942. To Tafaraoui, Algeria 22 November 1942. To Biskra, Algeria 25 December 1942. Missing in Action on the Bizerte mission 26 December 1942 with Pilot Thomas H. Borders, Co-pilot Fleming C. Goolsby, Navigator Theodore R. Hokenstad, Bombardier Mortimer V. Walsh, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Henry R. Eaton, Radio Operator Pierce B. Tyler, Ball Turret Gunner Kent R. West, Waist Gunner Jack C. Elliott, Tail Gunner Edward W. Swedo, Photographer/Gunner Edward T. DuPaul (10 Killed in Action). Hit by direct Flak, exploded in mid-air, no survivors. All are still listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 16150.
Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
Squadron
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 97th Bomb Group
Lt Thomas Borders graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa before enlisting in the Air Corps in July 1941. Assigned as a Pilot in the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron, he was sent overseas. He was Pilot of "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" on...
Military | Private First Class (6th Grade) | Photographer/Gunner | 97th Bomb Group
Edward Du Paul was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron at Polebrook, England. He was a photographer/gunner on 41-24413 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" when it was lost to Flak and exploded in mid-air on a mission to Biskra, Tunisia, 26 December...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer | 97th Bomb Group
Henry Eaton was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Engineer/Gunner on board 41-24413 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" when it was lost to Flak and exploded in mid-air on a mission to Biskra, Tunisia, 26 December 1942. He and all nine...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 97th Bomb Group
Jack Elliott was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Waist Gunner on board 41-24413 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" when it was lost to Flak and exploded in mid-air on a mission to Biskra, Tunisia, 26 December 1942. He and all nine...
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 97th Bomb Group
Fleming Goolsby was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Co-Pilot of "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" on VIII Bomber Command's first Heavy Bomber raid to Rouen, France on 17 August 1942. Transferred to North Africa with the 97thBG, he was...
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 97th Bomb Group
Theodore Hokenstad was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Navigator on board 41-24413 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" when it was lost to Flak and exploded in mid-air on a mission to Biskra, Tunisia, 26 December 1942. He and all nine...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 97th Bomb Group
Edward Swedo was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Tail Gunner on board 41-24413 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" when it was lost to Flak and exploded in mid-air on a mission to Biskra, Tunisia, 26 December 1942. He and all nine other...
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 97th Bomb Group
Pierce Tyler was a student at Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana in 1940. After his enlistment in the Air Corps he was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron and sent overseas. He was Radio Operator on board 41-24413 "Birmingham...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 97th Bomb Group
Mortimer Walsh was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Bombardier on board of "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" 41-9100 on VIII Bomber Command's first Heavy Bomber raid to Rouen, France on 17 August 1942. Transferred to North Africa with...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 97th Bomb Group
Kent West (first name "Kemp" in the US 1930 Census) was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group/414th Bomb Squadron. He was Ball Turret Gunner on board 41-9100 "Birmingham Blitzkrieg" on VIII Bomber Command's first Heavy Bomber raid to Rouen, France on 17...
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
Not yet known
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 04 December 2017 11:38:36 | ED-BB | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, unit associations and person associations |
| Sources | ||
MACR 16150 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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