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42-5482

B-17 Flying Fortress

Delivered Cheyenne 15/12/42; Salina 10/1/43; Brookley 1/2/43; Homestead 14/2/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-W] Molesworth 6/3/43; sustained flak damage over Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Ambrose Grant, Co-pilot: Franklin Ball, Navigator: Jim Berger, Bombardier: Marion Blackburn, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tony Kujawa, Radio Operator: Ed Sexton, Ball turret gunner: Chester Petrosky (WIA), Waist gunner: Bob Jaouen Wounded in Action, Waist gunner: Woodrow Greenlee Wounded in Action, Tail gunner: Francis Anderson (10 Returned to Duty); crew bailed near coast and aircraft crash landed Riseley, Beds., near Molesworth, UK, 20 miles away, broke in half after hitting tree, and sal. CAT O'NINE TAILS.

Service

People

  • Marion Blackburn

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 5 November 1943 in B-17 41-24565 'The Rambling Wreck. ' Prisoner of War (POW). Earlier 10/14/43 on return from Schweinfurt mission, with B17 42-5482 'Cat O'Nine Tails' running out of fuel landed at Bedfordshire. Crew returned.

  • Claude Campbell

    Military | Colonel | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. ETD Awards: DSC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals. Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean conflict.

  • Erven Chuhran

    Military | Sergeant | Aerial Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    KNO October 23, 1943. B-17F #42-29930 'Miss Patricia' crashed shortly after takeoff on a local night training mission.

  • Leonard Jokerst

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 16 x Combat missions. KNO October 23, 1943. B-17F #42-29930 'Miss Patricia' crashed shortly after takeoff on a local night training mission.

Places

  • Molesworth

    Military site : airfield
    Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...

Events

Not yet known

Nicknames
Cat O'Nine Tails
Production block number
Not yet known
Manufacturer
Not yet known
Markings and paint scheme/livery
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
24 January 2020 04:12:48 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity.
Date Contributor Update
06 January 2020 23:22:29 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space, a "(" and a ")" to the "Description" for readability.
Date Contributor Update
06 January 2020 23:17:21 jmoore43 Changes to nicknames
Sources

Capitalized the "n" in the nick name "O'Nine".
Date Contributor Update
06 January 2020 19:05:54 jmoore43 Changes to nicknames
Sources

Added the nickname mentioned in the description.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:56 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

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