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B-17 Flying Fortress
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5905) nicknamed "Just AG" of the 388th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '561 BS, "Just AG".'
Delivered Long Beach 26/4/43; Sioux City 7/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 30/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/7/43; detailed Solignen, 30/11/43 with Paul Kelly, Co-pilot: John Corzette, Navigator: John Wiley, Bombardier: Marion Wiles, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Theo Lambert, Radio Operator: Edwin Bishop, Ball turret gunner: Merrick Castilie, Waist gunner: Eldridge Sautter, Waist gunner: Sterling Crawford, Tail gunner: Andrew Jenkins (10 Returned to Duty) crash landed on wrong runway at Polebrook on return through pilot error. Salvaged. JUST AG.
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #42-5905 'Just AG' returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. Pilot was Paul Kelly.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. Pilot was Paul Kelly.
Military | Major | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. CP to Pilot Paul Kelly.
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. Pilot was Paul Kelly.
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. Pilot was Paul Kelly.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Flew 30 missions Plane was 'Millie K'.
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer | 388th Bomb Group
30 November 1943 in B-17 #425905 ÒJust AGÓ returned from mission to Solingen and was unable to stop before the end of the runway at Polebrook. 10 RTD. Pilot was Paul Kelly.
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #4231084. Killed in Action (KIA). Earlier 10/14/43 on takeoff for Schweinfurt in B17#42-30193 'Hard Luck', no. 3 engine caught fire during take off with 10 bombs aboard. Lt. Swith retracted landing gear to avoid trees...
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 5 January 1944 in B-17 #42-5899 'Sioux City Queen. ' A/C received heavy damage and crashed near Cartujac, FR. Killed in Action (KIA).
...
28 July 1943
The German aircraft industry at Kassel (Fieseler works) and Oscherleben, Germany are the primary targets of this mission. 182 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (21); 306BG (24); 351BG (21); 379BG (19); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are...
12 August 1943
This mission is separated into two elements. The first element is a combined force of 183 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division: 91BG (22); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are dispatched to bomb...
15 August 1943
German airfields in Holland and France are the targets for this mission. All of the attacks were made late in the afternoon just prior to sunset. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (20...
16 August 1943
This mission consists of two elements of B-17s despatched to bomb the German airfields of Le Bourget (Paris), Poix and Abbeville, France. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (21); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20);...
17 August 1943
The mission flown on 17-Aug-43, the 1st anniversary of the 1st mission flown by the 8th Air Force, is probably the most written about mission of the war. This is the famous Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission on which 60 B-17s are lost. It has been dubbed ...
2 September 1943
This mission was composed of five elements. The first element was combined force 55 B-17s despatched from: 92BG; 305BG, and 306BG to bomb German airfields in NW France. The mission is recalled due to weather and the bombers return without dropping...
3 September 1943
German airfields in France and the Caudron-Renault works at Paris are the targets for this mission. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 168 B-17s from: 91BG (14); 351BG (19); 381BG (22); 92BG (19); 305BG ...
6 September 1943
This mission was planned as massive attack of 338 B-17s on the industrial areas of Stuttgart, Germany and would be supported by a formation of 69 B-24s flying a diversion. This would be the first action from the UK for the B-24 Groups that had recently...
7 September 1943
Two German airfields, one at Brussels, Begium and the other at Bergen, Holland, and the V-Weapons sites around Watten, France are the primary targets for this mission.
...
9 September 1943
This mission has been named OPERATION STARKEY. It is planned as a coordinated attack of multiple bomber elements upon multiple targets and incorporates fighter escort as a rehearsal of what may be required to support an invasion of the Continent. It is...
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Long Beach, CA, USA | 26 April 1943 |
| Assigned | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 3 July 1943 |
|
388 BG |
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| First 388th BG Combat Mission | Oschersleben, Germany | 28 July 1943 |
| Crashed | Polebrook, Peterborough PE8 5LN, UK | 30 November 1943 |
|
Crash Landed. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 28 August 2020 02:03:04 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 February 2019 03:20:32 | slarish | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Corrected name of waist gunner Eldridge Sautter, instead Eldridge Sauter. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 December 2017 04:49:07 | 466thHistorian | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=42-5905&data... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:57 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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