Please click here for more information, there is also 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
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed ""Li'l" One" of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '388.' Printed caption on reverse: 'B-61555 AC - The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Li'L One" at an airbase in England, 19 September 1943. 562nd Bomb Sqdn., 388th Bomb Gp. U.S. Air Force Photo.' B-17F-90-BO #42-30212 "Lil' One" Code: H
Bob Pfieffer and his crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30213) nicknamed "Lil' One". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bob Pfieffer crew, 562BS.' Standing Left to Right: Thomas A. Sigurdson (CP), Robert L. Pfeiffer (P), William H. Harrington (N), Max C. Greva (B) Kneeling Left to Right: Vernon L. Rhoda (WG), Forrest W. Miller (FE), James P. Riley (TG), unidentified, John H. Reidel (WG), Robert J. Fanning (R/O) The unidentified man is probably Adolph Jusewicz (BTG)
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sondra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball (FE), Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin (BTG), New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis (TG), Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza (WG), Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis (R/O), Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Francis H Curry (WG), Roswell, New Mexico; Back row, left to right: 2nd Lt Frank N Broach (B), Irving, Texas; 2nd Lt Albert (NMI) Rubin (CP), Chicago, Ill; 2nd Lt Henry O Cox (P), Crossville, Tenn; 2nd Lt Willis E Eddy (N), Battle Creek Mich. US Air Force Photo.' Made corrections to the caption, adding crew positions and changing the plane name from "Sandra Kay" to "Sondra Kay"
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Gore 9/5/43; Sioux City 10/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 1/6/43; crashed on take off for Bremen after encountering mechanical problems 13/11/43 with Bob Simons, Co-pilot: Alvin Marcus, Navigator: Bob Gudgel, Bombardier: John Pond, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ira Mooney, Radio Operator: Erwin Rehder Wounded in Action, Ball turret gunner: Tony Giangreco, Waist gunner: Bill Thompson, Waist gunner: Bob Pardue,Tail gunner: Chas Hash (10 Returned to Duty); crash landed East Wretham, Nfk; UK. Salvaged. LI'L ONE.
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Squadron
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Henry Jr. was a graduate of the 1940 class of Cumberland County High School. Two classmates, and football team members, graduating from CCHS in 1938, Ben H. West Jr. and Cecil G. Buttram were killed in action. AMM 3rd Class Ben H. West Jr. enlisted Dec...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot/Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
There is some mystery here as to why Fanning was flying a mission on 6 March 1944 when his tour apparently ended in December 1943. The 388th BG website lists a "R.W. Fanning" as the navigator for the Gridley Crew on 6 March 1944, however the WW2 POW...
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
RTD 13 Nov 1943. B17 #42-30213 'Lil One'. After developing severe vibrations from a runaway prop that would not feather after take-off, the crew was ordered to bail out. AC crashed near Ipswich.
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Nov 13 1943 on mission to Bremen in B17#42-30213 'Lil One', developed problems with no. 4 propeller and strong vibration. Ordered to bail out, ac crashed at Norfolk.
Shot down 26 November 1943 in B-17 #423555 'Tiger Girl. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
RTD 13 Nov 1943. B17 #42-30213 'Lil One'. After developing severe vibrations from a runaway prop that would not feather after take-off, the crew was ordered to bail out. AC crashed near Ipswich.
Military | Captain | Pilot/Command Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
24 AUG 1943 after takeoff from N. Africa, shuttlerun to Regensburg, A/C B-17 #42-30230 'Homesick Angel' ran out of gas and crashed in cornfield in Suffolk.
17 July 1943
The railroad industry at Hannover, Germany and the aircraft industry at Hamburg, Germany were the intended targets for this mission but weather caused the mission to be cancelled. The element sent to Hannover was a combined force of 207 B-17s from:...
24 July 1943
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22)...
25 July 1943
This mission was composed of three elements. The primary targets were the diesel engine works at Hamburg, Germany; the shipyards at Kiel, Germany and the aircraft industries at Warnemude, Germany, but weather frustrated the effort. The first element...
26 July 1943
The German rubber industry at Hannover, Germany and the U-Boat shipyards at Hamburg, Germany are the primary focus of this mission. In addition, a German ship convoy and targets of opportunity at Wilhelmshaven and Wesermunde are bombed. The first...
28 July 1943
The German aircraft industry at Kassel (Fieseler works) and Oscherleben, Germany are the primary targets of this mission. 182 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (21); 306BG (24); 351BG (21); 379BG (19); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are...
29 July 1943
The primary targets for this mission are the port facilities at Kiel, Germany and the Heinkel aircraft factories at Warnemunde, Germany. A combined force of 168 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 92BG (14 these included 1 Y-B40 gunship); 305BG (19); 306BG (18);...
30 July 1943
The aircraft factories at Kassel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is flown by two elements of B-17s which attack 15 minutes apart. The firts element is a combined force of 119 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 303BG (23); 351BG (21);...
12 August 1943
This mission is separated into two elements. The first element is a combined force of 183 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division: 91BG (22); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are dispatched to bomb...
19 August 1943
The German airfields at Gilze-Rijen, Holland and Woensdrecht, Holland are the targets for this mission. The attacks will be made by two elements. The first element is a combined force of 125 B-17s from: 91BG (8); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (19);...
24 August 1943
The 8th Air Force is intent on dishing out some "pay back" to the Luftwaffe for the toll it took on bombers of the 17-Aug-43 mission to Schweinfurt/Regensburg. So, This mission has three attack elements and a diversion element. The attack elements are...
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Other location
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Cheyenne, WY, USA | 29 April 1943 |
| Assigned | 1 June 1943 | |
|
388 BG |
||
| First 388th BG Mission | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17 July 1943 |
| Crashed | Wretham, Thetford IP24, UK | 13 November 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 14 December 2017 20:51:04 | 466thHistorian | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, events, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=42-30213&dat... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:27 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
||
