John J King

Military

B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 9 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD. Shot down 20 April 1944 in B-17 #4297448. Evaded.



Earlier 5 December 1943 AC B-17#42-39825 'Zenobia El Elephante 2' stalled and exploded on ground 20 minutes later. Crew had escaped and villagers warned so no civilian casualties and crew returned. King suffered a serious injury.

Connections

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Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-31202

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Civillians with the wreck of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 6 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '295794.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '5/12/43 B-17 Crash 401 BG.'

42-39825

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Zenobia El Elephante
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

42-97448

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Other

Evaded

France 20 April 1944

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4055 / MACR 4055, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Losses of 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 409-10 w/ crew pix, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1011 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database