42-31971 Twenty-One Or Bust
Delivered Cheyenne 2/1/44; Gt Falls 12/1/44; Kearney 23/1/44; (force landed Rineanna, Eire from Labrador to UK 8/2/44): Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-E] Framlingham 9/2/44;
Over Augsburg 13/4/44 1/Lt Tom Sutters (Killed in Action);
Missing in Action Liege 11/5/44 with Bill Corkrean, Co-pilot: John Rutherford (2 Killed in Action); Navigator: Ed Dentz, Bombardier: Bill Hays, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Hodgson, Radio Operator: John Ward, Ball turret gunner: Melvin Poling, Waist gunner: Leon Balducci, Waist gunner: Purvis Christian, Tail gunner: George Thalman (8 Prisoner of War); flak damage started fires, crashed Hultens Broek, two miles N of Gilze-Rijen A/F, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 4787. TWENTY-ONE OR BUST.
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: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Places
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
11 May 1944 | ||
|
Crashed |
11 May 1944 |
Revisions
Added a space before the words “Tail gunner” in the A/C “Description” section.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 4787 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database