41-24503 Pandora's Box

B-17F 41-24503 'Pandora's Box' assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-E] Bangor 30-August-42; Bassingbourn 29-September-42; Missing in Action 23-Nov-42 while flying as Group Lead on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Enemy aircraft shot out #3, and aircraft dropped back and crashed into the sea 30 miles northwest of St. Nazaire. 11KIA MACR 16162

P Maj Harold C. Smelser (Sqd CO) (KIA); CP Capt Duane L. Jones (KIA)

N 1Lt John S. Hemingway (KIA); B 2Lt Phillip K. Baxter Jr (KIA)

E/TTG TSgt Alvy G. Masters (KIA); RO TSgt Louis E Emerson (KIA)

BTG Sgt Fidel Hernandez (KIA); WG SSgt Doyt L. Watson (KIA)

WG Sgt John L. Boomer (KIA); TG Sgt Joseph Medved (KIA)

OBS Capt George C. Wahl, Jr. (KIA)

Connections

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

Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-727075
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36305914
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17015920
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-433981
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Bombardier; Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19039467
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Places

Missions

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Made connections between all crew members and aircaft

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Nov-2014. Edited description and formatted crew information per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & john A. Hey MBE and MACR 16162.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Edit crew names; add connections. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 16162.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 16162 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database