41-24496 Chennault's Pappy
AAMIB
B-17F 41-24496 'Chennault's Pappy' Delivered Great Falls, Montana, force landed Nashville, Tennessee with Jim Dale; repaired & assigned 423BS/306BG Westover 15-Aug-42; Thurleigh 8-Sep-42.
B-17F 41-24496, was despatched along with 12 other B-17s to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The aircraft received severe damage from German FW-190 fighters, killing the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner, TSgt Kenneth R. Aulenbach and wounding three others. The pilot, Capt Robert C. Williams and Co-Pilot, 2LT Warren George managed to fly to damaged aircraft back to England, making an emergency landing at RAF Exeter. The aircraft was salvaged. 1KIA 9RTD-3WIA. No MACR issued.
P Capt Robert C. Williams (RTD); CP 2Lt Warren George (RTD)
N 1Lt Jacob C. Shively (RTD);B 2Lt Emmett W. Ford (RTD)
E/TTG TSgt Kenneth R. Aulenbach (KIA); RO TSgt Eddie F. Espitallier (RTD)
BTG SSgt Clairborne W. Wilson (RTD); WG SSgt Colin E. Neeley (RTD)
WG SSgt Hubert Houston (RTD); TG SSgt William F. Williams (RTD)
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39083381
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-726139
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18065557 / O-661826
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Missions
- Date: 17 November 1942
- Official Description:
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Salvaged |
17 November 1942 | The aircraft sustained severe damage and was declared a Category-E loss (damaged beyond repair) and salvaged for parts. |
Revisions
http://www.306bg.us/Search/search%20aircraft.php?AC=41-24496 (Mission Report)
FRE 3663 - Photo text indicates A/C was on strength with 323BS, 91BG, as do the A/C codes on the photo.
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/231641
Co-Pilot Warren George Jr. was my uncle (my mother's brother). Fellow crew members told our family that because of the damage causing the plane to try to dive, Robert Williams was too small to hold it in level flight. George, a former football player, had the strength to pull against the controls and maintain level flight. Jacob Shively told my sister, "We only got back because of Junior." (Junior was a nickname they had given to George.)
Lee Cunningham 26-Nov-2014. Added manufacturer based on Block number.
Lee Cunningham 26-Nov-2014. Deleted DUPLICATE entry for this aircraft and combined the data: pre "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.