43-38608 Lucille
Rear L-R: 2Lt William J Lowry, F/O Ralph S Bennett, 1Lt Irving Wort, 2Lt Stuart King Wood
Front L-R: Sgt Merritt L Moots, S/Sgt Joseph R Madden, Sgt Emanual Warcholak, Sgt William B Thomas, S/Sgt Joseph J Manina
Delivered Cheyenne 23/8/44; Lincoln 2/9/44; Grenier 6/9/44; Assigned 94BG Rougham 8/9/44; transferred 359BS/303BG [BN-E] Molesworth 23/10/44; 360BS [PU-C]; 457BG Glatton 26/5/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 9/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 30/11/45. LUCILLE.
Most Unusual Mission Experiences as related by 1st. Lt. John Stephen Proffitt, Jr. (303rd Bomb Group, 359th Bomb Squadron ("BS")). For more information, see Mission Report No. 305 on the 303rd Bomb Group's website.
"...'the most unusual experience' was witnessing the collision of two B-17s on the January 21, 1945 mission to Aschaffenburg, Germany (described on pages 636-7 of the fine book "Might in Flight."). We were flying on Tasker's left wing, and I was consciously observing the situation before and at the time of the collision. Duffield, the squadron leader, let his IAS increase to about 160 mph in the left turn. Upon completion of the turn, he immediately reduced his air-speed, and Tasker was slow to react. Consequently, Tasker's plane moved forward until he was nose to nose directly under Duffield's plane. In an apparent effort to slow down, Tasker put down some flaps and the lift raised his plane into contact with Duffield's. While I had been watching this entire event develop right in front of me, the actual collision was unexpected. My first realization of the seriousness of the situation was when a landing gear wheel from one of the planes nearly hit my right wing; my instant reaction was to peel off to the left, so both planes were on their way down by the time I saw them again. Since we generally expected that everyone involved in the collision had perished, my tail gunner, Howard F. O'Neal, was surprised to encounter Tasker's tail gunner, A.H. Driver, on the ship when returning to the U.S. a few months later." 303rd BG Editor's note: "Actually, there were two survivors to the collision. Lt. J.C. Flemmons, a bombardier on Lt. Duffield's crew, also survived the collision and became a POW."
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12040552
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Ground Crew
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37227114
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-823677
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15086244
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Crew chief
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35135437
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Delivered |
Cheyenne, Wyoming | 23 August 1944 | |
Assigned |
Rougham Airfield, UK | 8 September 1944 | 94th BG |
Assigned |
Molesworth Airfield, UK | 23 October 1944 | 303 BG 359 BS |
Assigned |
Glatton Airfield, UK | 26 May 1945 | 457 BG |
Revisions
Added associations to the 359BS & 360BS & 457BG listed in the description section for A/C #43-38608.
"B-17 Flying Fortress Story" - Roger Freeman
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b17_16.html
My father related this story to me. His experience is memorialized on the 303rd Bomb Group's website.
"Lucille's" nose art is pictured on the 303rd Bomb Group website under the "Nose Art" link. Also, in this picture, the hand-painted "Lucille" is visible under the pilot's window.