42-37887

media-54994.jpeg UPL 54994 Crash picture, only surviving major piece as a result of mid-air collision on takeoff while forming up. Mission to Kiel. Rest of plane, loaded with bombs and fuel, burned for hours. Tail, right waist and ball turret gunner (Harry E. Hancock) bodies recovered and buried at American Military Cemetery Catsworth. Seven of the ten crewmembers were buried in Section E Site 35 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Ky.

Government crash site photos

Object Number - UPL 54994 - Crash picture, only surviving major piece as a result of mid-air collision on takeoff while forming up. Mission to Kiel. Rest of plane, loaded with...

Delivered Denver 1/10/43; Gr Island 24/10/43; Assigned 527BS/379BG [FO-S] Kimbolton 22/11/43; during assembly for mid-air coll with #42-31441 (303 BG), with Wayne Maresh, Co-pilot: Frank Mailander, Navigator: Bob Romme, Bombardier: Burton Kashatt, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ray Williams, Radio Operator: Orvis Wilsey, Tail gunner: Jerry Gentile (7 Killed in Action), Ball turret gunner: Albt McGrew, Waist gunner: Jim O’Neil, Waist gunner: Maurice Cheramie (3 WIA); crashed Covington, Hunts, UK. Salvaged.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17020821 at enlistment, then O-682882
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-746733
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

Photograph legend lists the crash a/c #887 & 379th as the unit, thus matching the AAM synopsis. Note LF is a squdron code in the 379th BG in further support.(527).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

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