42-39974 Punchboard
@Bill Freeman
Delivered Long Beach 23/10/43; Walla Walla 9/11/43; Assigned 731/BS452BG [7D-P] Deopham Green 12/1/44; Missing in Action Warnemunde 9/4/44 with Ernie Racener, Co-pilot: Clyde Freeman, Navigator: Art Wagner, Bombardier: Harry Dukes, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Carlson, Radio Operator: Chas Garrett, Ball turret gunner: Vernice Wilson, Waist gunner: Bob Hazleton, Waist gunner: Herb Rosenberg,Tail gunner: Chas Cook (10 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, force landed Vaerlose Afd, Den. Missing Air Crew Report 3785. PUNCHBOARD. (Restored and operated by II/.KG200.)
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: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-753993
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 9 April 1944
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Left formation over the Baltic Sea |
Baltic Sea | 9 April 1944 | After having bombed the FockeWulf factory at Poznan the B 17`s was attacked by Ju 88`s over the Baltic Sea. The Ju 88`s lobbed rockets into the formation and 42-39974 "Punchboard" was hit in number two engine and lost fuel. Pilot 1st Lt Ernest L. Racener left the formation and headed north with the intention of trying to reach Sweden before they ran out of fuel. |
Other Forced landing in enemy territory |
Vaerloese Airfield | 9 April 1944 - 10 April 1944 | When 42-39974 "Punchboard" reached land and saw red flags with a white cross (The Danish flag) they believed it to be Sweden and looked for a place to land. They found a nice green field and only when preparing to land did they notice the German aircrafts parked there. Racener pulled “Punchboard” up but at the same time the gunners reported a ME 210 behind them and it was quickly decided to land at what turned out to be Fliegerhorst Vaerloese "Vaerlose Airfield". |
Other Punchboard crew made POW's |
Oberursel (POW) Camp | 10 April 1944 - 15 May 1945 | All 10 crewmen were made POW`s and sent to Dulag Luft at Oberursel for interrogation. |
Other Punchboard flown to Rechlin–Lärz Airfield |
Erprobungsstelle Rechlin | "Punchboard" was one of the only B-17Gs captured intact and flown by the Luftwaffe during the war. In fact, it is believed to have been the last B-17 captured intact during the war. The fate of "Punchboard" is unknown. |
Revisions
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net) & (www.b24.net)
*2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net) & (www.b24.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net) & (www.b24.net)
Source: 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Source: (www.303rdbg.com) and 2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Søren C. Flensted (www.flensted.eu.com)
2nd Lt. Clyde Cleveland Freeman (Co-Pilot) via Bill Freeman (www.bill-freeman.net)
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3785 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database