UPL 55503
IMAGESmoke Crew - 838th Squadron, 487th Bomb Group The crew of 2nd Lt Daniel C. Smoke Jr outside the mess hall at Hunter Army Air Field, near Savannah, Georgia. The crew completed B-17 operational training at Biloxi, Mississippi, and was sent to Hunter Field to pick up a new B-17 for the deployment flight to England. Back row (L to R): Sgt John White Jr (engineer), Sgt Harold J. Stone (radio operator), Sgt Richard E. Burres (tail gunner), Sgt Elmer E. Koepsell (waist gunner), Sgt David W. Sala (ball turret gunner) Front row (L to R): 2nd Lt Daniel C. Smoke Jr (pilot), F/O George H. Pendarvis (copilot), F/O Gunnar K. Olsen (navigator), 2nd Lt John H. Strong (bombardier) These men all perished in B-17G 43-38038 in a midair collision with 43-37969 over France on March 19, 1945.
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Units
- 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: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37586104
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-128391
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16060893
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flying Chapel
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron