Although the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24479 "Sad Sack" Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-R] 2-September-1942; Bassingbourn 29-September-1942; Missing in Action 23-November-1942 on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. This was the 4th mission for this crew. Last seen with #2 feathered 30 miles out, shot down by German fighters and crashed into the English Channel. 11KIA MACR 16273.
P Maj Victor S. Zienowicz (Sqd CO) (KIA); CP Capt Tomas B. McCormick (KIA)
N 2Lt Ralph L. Clinton (KIA); B 2Lt Ross E. Frazier (KIA)
E/TTG 1Lt Arthur S. Applebaum (KIA); RO TSgt George A. Anderson (KIA)
BTG Sgt Joseph G. Janor (KIA) WG SSgt Wordon J. Ryder (KIA)
WG TSgt Doyce F. Hamrick (KIA) TG SSgt William C.Graddy (KIA)
Obeserver: Capt Herbert W. Hamphy (KIA)
Note that the ABMC record for the airmen record the date of death for the airmen as November 23, 1943.
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Radio Operator. Aircarft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English...
Military | Lieutenant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
On 18 November 1942, while serving as Navigator, in 'Fury' B-17 41-24499 bombs could not be released so were jettisoned in an open field. On return, 10 miles SW of Exeter, a/c collided with 41-24553 which was able to land safely; however Fury landed at...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Bombardier. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base, 30 miles from English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English Channel. No...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down in B-17F-4124479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Tail Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles off the English coast the aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the English Channel. No...
Military | Captain | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as an additional Navigator. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast it was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Waist Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English...
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English...
Military | Captain | Co-Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Co-Pilot. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine, turned to return to base and was never seen again. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down. No traces of the...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Waist Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English...
23 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) for this mission. A combined force of 50 B-17s despatched from 91BG (10), 303BG (12), 305BG (20) and 306BG (8) to attack this target. 91BG is not able to put any of their group on the target,...
Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | English Channel | 23 November 1942 – 18 November 1942 |
|
Shot down by enemy aircraft near the English coast upon return. No traces ever found. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 December 2014 16:10:10 | Lucy May | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
E.g. Thomas B McCormick's ABMC record: http://www.abmc.gov/search-abmc-burials-and-memorializations/detail/WWII... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 November 2014 21:32:34 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 29-Nov-2014. Edited description correcting loss date and formatted crew information. All details per MACR 16273. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 20:46:04 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Missing AIr Crew Report (MACR) 16273 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 16273 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
||
