41-24441 Francis X
From family archive
Object Number - UPL 23777 - Crew of 124441 - Francis X
Assigned 326BS/92BG at Bangor 31-Jul-42; Transferred to 326BS/97BG Polebrook 12-Aug-42. Missing in Action 21-Oct-42 while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient . 6 KIA 4 POW. FRANCIS X.
P 2Lt Francis Schwartzenbeck (KIA) CP 1Lt William L. Tingle (KIA)
N Capt Joe H. Gray, Jr. (KIA); B 2Lt Harry R. Erickson (POW)
E/TTG TSgt William T. Lynch (KIA); RO Sgt Kenneth K. Laud (POW)
BTG Sgt Mitchell Small (KIA): WGSgt Kenneth V. Maeran (POW)
WG Sgt Ned R. Herzstam (POW); TG Sgt George Whitham, Jr. (KIA)
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft on fire, flying about 500 ft above the ground, and reported that no one had bailed out.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379318.jpg.webp?itok=n7iztoxa)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
![Lieutenant Harry R. Erickson, from Mankato, Minnesota, a bombardier of the 97th Bomb Group inside the nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress. A censor has obscured the ammunition to the bottom left of Erickson. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Ministry of Information 25 Jul 1942.' [stamp], 'Air(Boeing).' [written annotation] and '212091.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYING FORTRESSES WAIT FOR ZERO HOUR. Associated Press Photo Shows: Lt. Harry Erickson from Mankato, Mi](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379324.jpg.webp?itok=38apKFvo)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17017977 / O-440334
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14012196 / O-419578
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39165066
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20744087
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14073155
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 21 October 1942
- Official Description:
Revisions
Added Some Punctuation in the A/C "Biography Description" to aid readability.
Information from the journal of Ben Rushing (97th Bomb Group, and a friend of Harry Erickson), transcribed by his family on their blog
Corrected 'George Whitman Jr' to 'George Whitham Jr': https://abmc.gov/node/546480#.Wo_tE01LGM8
Lee Cunningham 17-Nov-2014. Formatted Description for crew and edited entry for consistency; Added MIA event details.
Lee Cunningham 27-Oct-2014. "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A Hey MBE; "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story" Roger A Freeman & David Osborne; National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)