42-31684 Joker

A 774th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31684) nicknamed "Joker" drops its bombs. The aircraft was declared Missing In Action on the 7th of July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '774BS, 463BG, 231684. MIA 7/7/44.' media-457796.jpg FRE 10129 A 774th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31684) nicknamed "Joker" drops its bombs. The aircraft was declared Missing In Action on the 7th of July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '774BS, 463BG, 231684. MIA 7/7/44.'

B-17G-25-BO #42-31684 "Joker"
463rd BG - 774th BS - 15th AF Roger Freeman Collection

"Air Stories - 12th & 15th Air Forces" - Gerard Paloque
Page 115

Object Number - FRE 10129 - A 774th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31684) nicknamed "Joker" drops its bombs. The aircraft was declared...

Delivered Denver 6/12/43; Kearney 24/12/43; Memphis 2/1/44; Drew Fd 4/1/44; Morrison 8/1/44; Assigned 774BS/463BG Celone 9/3/44; Missing in Action Blechhammer 7/7/44 with Don Doran, Co-pilot: Maurice Davis, Navigator: Pat Gaughan, Bombardier: Jim Slaughter, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Shephard, Radio Operator: Bill Marcks, Ball turret gunner: Jim Howard, Waist gunner: Bob Moran, Waist gunner: Dan O’Connell, Tail gunner: Manny Remplakis (10 POW?); enemy aircraft, crashed Vicany, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 6864. THE JOKER (painted on tail fin.)

Connections

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Units served with

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-5287) of the 463rd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in flight with open bomb bay doors. Handwritten caption on reverse: '463 BG Gills.'

463rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Places

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-5287) of the 463rd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in flight with open bomb bay doors. Handwritten caption on reverse: '463 BG Gills.'

Celone

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Foggia Satellite #1, San Nicola-d'Arpi

Events

Event Location Date Description

Delivered

Denver, CO, USA 6 December 1943

Assigned

Foggia, Province of Foggia, Italy 9 March 1944 463rd BG 774th BS

Crashed

Blechhammer, 92439 Bodenwöhr, Germany 7 July 1944 Missing in Action Blechhammer 7/7/44 with Don Doran, Co-pilot: Maurice Davis, Navigator: Pat Gaughan, Bombardier: Jim Slaughter, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Shephard, Radio Operator: Bill Marcks, Ball turret gunner: Jim Howard, Waist gunner: Bob Moran, Waist gunner: Dan O’Connell,Tail gunner: Manny Remplakis (10POW?); enemy aircraft, crashed Vicany, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 6864. THE JOKER (painted on tail fin.)

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

B-17 Flying Fortress Story - Roger Freeman

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

42-31684: Gallery (1 items)

A 774th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31684) nicknamed "Joker" drops its bombs. The aircraft was declared Missing In Action on the 7th of July 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '774BS, 463BG, 231684. MIA 7/7/44.'

Object number: FRE 10129 - A 774th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group B-17...