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B-24 Liberator
B-24H (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Crew 11. Standing (L-R): S/Sgt. Raymond G. Giwojna - Tail Gunner; S/Sgt. Benjamin Z. Means - Waist Gunner, Second Armorer; S/Sgt. Norbert F. Duginske - Waist Gunner, Second Engineer; S/Sgt. Gerald E. Carroll - Top Turret Gunner, First Engineer; S/Sgt. Kenneth L. Dyer - Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Bill J. McCullah - Ball Turret Gunner, First Armorer. Kneeling (L-R): 1st Lt. Alfred E. Cannon - Navigator; 1st Lt. John J. Schneider - Co-Pilot; 1st Lt. Paul R. Helander - Pilot; 1st Lt. Henry M. Snyder - Bombardier.
B-24 41-28711 'Little Sheppard' 712BS, 448BG, 8AF. Interned at Dubendorf, Switzerland 21-Jul-44.
Sgt Kenneth L. Dyer - Radio Operator - Crew 11 B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Jan-Feb 1944, B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Mar1944, B-24H-5-CF (41-29191) "Hello Natural" Mar 1944.
Sgt Raymond G. Giwojna-Tail Gunner, Third Engineer- B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Jun 1944.
S/Sgt. Norbert M. Duginske-Gunner- B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Jun 1944.
S/Sgt. Gerald E. Carroll-Gunner- B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Jun1944
S/Sgt. Bill J. McCullah-Gunner-B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Jun 1944.
Sgt Benjamin Z. Means-Waist Gunner- B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-Jun 1944.
1st Lt. Paul R. Helander - Pilot- B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-May1944.
1st Lt. John J. Schneider - Co-Pilot-B-24H-10-FO (42-52132) "Boomerang" Oct 1943-Feb 1944 and B-24H-10-DT (41-28711) "Little Sheppard" Feb-May 1944. Pilot "Little Sheppard" May-Jun 1944.
Assigned to 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force.
Crew 11 was assigned to "Little Sheppard" in Feb 1944 after their aircraft "Boomerang" (42-52132) crashed on 10 Feb 1944 near Tibenham Airfield, England. Crew 11 flew "Little Sheppard" until their 30 missions were completed in Jun 1944. Stalled out into a spin due to ice build up over English channel on mission to Brux, Czechoslovakia. Navigator bailed out before control was regained 21 Apr 1944. Failed to Return (FTR) from mission to Allach, Germany on 21 Jul 1944. Damaged by flak and enemy fighters the airraft landed in Dubendorf, Switzerland. All crew members survived and were interned. MACR 4343/7251.
Group
The 448th Bombardment Group was organized on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May 1943 at Gowen Field, near Boise, Idaho. The initial training of the air crews took place in Florida. The entire group was assembled Wendover Field, Utah. Both air and...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner, Armorer | 448th Bomb Group
Completed 30 missions
DFC, Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Clusters
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 448th Bomb Group
INT Damaged by flak and landed in Switzerland on 7/21/44 in B-24 Little Shepard #4128711
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 448th Bomb Group
Assigned to 712BS, 448BG, 8AF USAAF. B-24H 41-28711 Stalled out into a spin due to ice build up over English channel on mission to Brux, Czechoslovakia, baled out before control was regained, 21-Apr-44. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4343.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 448th Bomb Group
INT Damaged by flak and landed in Switzerland on 7/21/44 in B-24 Little Shepard #4128711
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Co-Pilot | 448th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 448th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 448th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 448th Bomb Group
S/Sgt. Gerald Carroll was born September 24, 1921 in Silver Bow, Montana. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps August 8, 1941. He died April 26, 1945 while assigned to the 3509th Army Air Force Base Unit (AAFBUSS) (Factory School) located at the Ford...
Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 448th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner, Second Engineer | 448th Bomb Group
S/Sgt. Norbert Mike Duginske was born in Merrill, Wisconsin January 1, 1920. He enlisted February 11, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a Waist Gunner and Second Engineer while assigned to Crew 11 in the 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group. He...
13 February 1944
17 V-Wepons sites in France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is divided into two separate forces: one force of B-24s from 2nd Bomb Division and one force of B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division. Mission summary follows:
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20 February 1944
This mission is the opening salvo of the Allied Combined Bomber Offensive known officially as "Operation Argument" but remembered in 8th Air Force History as "BIG WEEK". The immediate strategic objective of this six-day operation is the degradation of...
21 February 1944
Day 2 of BIG WEEK is another maximum effort by 8th Air Force to bomb 6 airfields in Germany as primary targets: Diepholz, Gütersloh, Lippstadt, Werl, Achmer and Handorf. In addition the industrial areas of Brunswick city are included as a primary...
25 February 1944
On this final operation of BIG WEEK, Day 6, a combined force of 754 heavy bombers from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions are despatched to bomb the German aircraft industries at Regensburg, Augsburg, Stuttgart and Furth, Germany. Mission Summary follows:
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2 March 1944
The primary targets for this mission are: the railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany; and the German air depot ar Chartres, France. The mission is composed of two entierly separate forces. 327 B-17s from 1st Air Division joined by 154 B-24s...
5 March 1944
The German airfields at Mont-de-Marsan, Cayeux and Bordeaux/Merginac, France were the primary targets for this mission. Weather and clouds frustrate bombing attempts and formations bomb other secondary targets and targets of last resort. Mission...
8 March 1944
The VKF ballbearing factory at Berlin/Erkner is the primary target for 623 heavy bombers despatched by all three Air Divisions. Fighter opposition and anti-aircraft fire are intense. There are so many formation attacking that some divert to other...
22 March 1944
The German aviation industries at Oraneinburg and Basdorf were the intended primary target for this mission but dense cloud cover prevented the attack on these targets. The secondary target of Berlin, Germany and surrounding Targets of Opportunity (TOs...
24 March 1944
This mission is composed of two elements, one from 1st Air Division and the other from 2nd Air Division. A total of 436 hevay bombers are despatched. The primary target for 1st Air Division is the the ball bearing plants at Schweifurt, Germany. 2nd Air...
8 April 1944
Military site : airfield
Built during 1942-43 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, Seething had three concrete runways, 51 hardstandings of both loop and 'frying-pan’ types, and two T2 hangars, one on each side of the airfield. It was home to the 448th Bomb Group, equipped with...
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Tulsa, OK, USA | 1943 |
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Built at Douglas Tulsa. |
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| Assigned | Seething, Norwich NR15, UK | 1943 – 21 July 1944 |
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Assigned to 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force (USAAF). |
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| Stalled into Spin / recovered | English Channel | 21 April 1944 |
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Stalled out into a spin due to ice build up over English channel, Navigator bailed out before control was regained, 21-Apr-44. |
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| Combat damaged (INT) | Dübendorf, Switzerland | 21 July 1944 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Allach, Germany. Damaged by flak and enemy fighters, landed in Dubendorf, Switzerland on 21 Jul 44. 10 x Interned (INT). MACR 4343/7251. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 September 2020 19:25:17 | dmccullo | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated missions for "LITTLE SHEPPARD" (41-28711). |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 August 2020 19:23:55 | dmccullo | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated connections. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 August 2020 19:20:23 | dmccullo | Changes to aircraft associations and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated connections. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 August 2020 07:43:37 | dmccullo | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Updated biography. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 August 2020 19:37:30 | dmccullo | Changes to nicknames, description and events |
| Sources | ||
Updated biography. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 July 2020 06:07:28 | dmccullo | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated Media. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 July 2020 05:58:12 | dmccullo | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Updated Biography. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 July 2020 08:28:46 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Removed all image associations which do not depict the aircraft. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 July 2020 01:45:52 | dmccullo | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated Associated Media to include photo of John Schneider-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 July 2020 01:33:52 | dmccullo | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Added missing crew members to 'Little Sheppard'-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 July 2020 01:26:31 | dmccullo | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated black & white photo of 'Little Sheppard' crew-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 April 2020 01:30:31 | dmccullo | Changes to events and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated photo 04-19-2020. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 August 2016 14:56:02 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmsn.asp?SN=41-28711&Submit6=Go |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:05 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 7251 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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