FRE 505

IMAGE

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A P-51 Mustang (C5-T, serial number 44-14868) nicknamed "Hurry Home Honey", flown by Major Richard A. "Pete" Peterson of the 357th Fighter Group. Photo was taken from the right waist gun port window of a 34th Bomb Group B-17, 391st Bombardment Squadron, called "Sugah", a B-17G-85-BO with tail number 43-38365. The fellow in the bomber who took these pictures of "Hurry Home Honey" was William Poveroff. This occurred on "Sugah's" #82 mission to Hamburg on October 25, 1944. They were badly damaged with two engines out of order and trailing smoke. The B-17 was losing altitude, and the crew was throwing all excess weight out of the side ports of the plane, including machine guns, ammo, chairs, anything they could do without. They stabilized the plane, but remained especially vulnerable to attack on their way home when Pete Peterson pulled up in "Hurry Home Honey". His triple ace status was reassuring, and the bomber crew felt the name of his plane spoke to them. They made it safely back to their base in England with his escort.

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Units

People

Major Richard A "Pete" Peterson of the 357th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '357, Richard W. Peterson.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (357th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-739334
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot / Operations Officer

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Hurry Home Honey, Mormon Mustang
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date:
ContributorJuddallen
ChangesChanges to caption
Sources

Judd Peterson, son of Richard Peterson

Date:
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection