42-3355 Nan B
standard nickname typo
Delivered Denver 22/5/43; Dow Fd 14/7/43; Assigned 550BS/385BG [SG-E] Gt Ashfield 18/7/43; Salvaged 29/5/45. NAN B.
The aircraft was named Nan B after pilot Theodore Jennings' girlfriend back home. Nancy Barbara Day.
Stars and Stripes published a story Page 4 11/20/1943 "Wounded B17 Lands Safely With All Four Engines Dead" about one of the crew's most difficult missions in November 1943: 'Bringing a Fortress home on four dead engines is an experience few pilots can claim. 1/Lt. Ted Jennings, 22-year-old boss of the Nan-B, is one of the few. Jennings set his badly crippled B17 down on the runway with four lifeless engines after the last raid on Bremen... The rest of the crew are: 2/Lts. Robert L Bostick, Oakland, Cal., co-pilot; Blair F. Stragand, Dunkirk, Ind., navigator, and Fred N. Kemp, New Orleans, bombardier; T/Sgt. Clarence W. Homolka, Canby, Ore., top turret; and S/Sgts. Edward F. Lyman, Brooklyn, and Edson H. McCord, Rinebeck, NY., waist gunners, Johnny H Erhardt, Washington (DC) (ball turret gunner), Sam K Moore, Muskegon, Mich (tail gunner), and T/SGT John H Kelly, (Kelley) Beverly Mass, (radio operator)
If the above publication relates to VIII Bomber Command 130 Mission and mission no 34 385th Bomb Group 13 Nov 1943 please be aware that the "loading list" available at the U.S. National Archives does not confirm that the crew was aboard Nan B 42-3355. The "loading list" indicates the crew was aboard 42-30662 (Clarissa Jean). The "take off and landing log" also indicates '662 with pilot Jennings. The article might be interpreted as the crew was the normal Nan B crew but not on Nan B when the event occurred. This comment entered by william henry 02/01/2018.
Per Lucy May Maxwell 02/21/2018 believes Stars and Stripes Newspaper retains copyright so image not shared on site. william henry 02/23/2018
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: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-675021
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 385th Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron 550th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-661438
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13023397
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Landed back at base with all four engines out |
Great Ashfield, Bury Saint Edmunds IP31, UK |
Revisions
Copy of Stars and Stripes article shared by Fred N Kemp's nephew, John Kemp.
Correspondence with Fred Kemp's nephew, John Kemp: '[My uncle] only referred to his plane as the "Nan B", which was named for Lt. Jenning's girl friend back home.'