Robert V Kerr

Military
A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group, who have returned to operational duties following a crash in their B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 12 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '296493.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'FLYING FORTRESS CREW BACK IN ACTION FOLLOWING CRASH ON ENGLISH VILLAGE. Photo shows: The crew of the Fortress bomber which crashed on the village of Deenthorpe. L-R. T/Sgt William D Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, Sout media-380541.jpg FRE 2218 A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group, who have returned to operational duties following a crash in their B-17 Flying Fortress.

Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 12 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '296493.' [Censor no.]
Printed caption on reverse: 'FLYING FORTRESS CREW BACK IN ACTION FOLLOWING CRASH ON ENGLISH VILLAGE. Photo shows: The crew of the Fortress bomber which crashed on the village of Deenthorpe.
L-R. T/Sgt William D Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, South Caroline,
Sergeant Waldon D Cohen, Ball-turret gunner of Altoona, Pennsylvania,
Sergeant Harold J Kelsen, waist gunner, of Brooklyn NY,
Sergeant Robert V Kerr, tail-gunner of Montesano, Washington,
S/Sgt Benjamin C Misser, radio-operator, of Quarryville, Pennsylvania,
[Lieutenant Wardlow Hammond, co-pilot, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania],
Lieutenant Walter B Keith, pilot of Hodgeville Kentucky, who is talking to Captain RJ White, of Kingsport Tennessee, who rescued the navigator Lieutenant King [a censor has obscured the navigator's name] from the blazing bomber. Gai. December 11th 1943. PN.'

Press caption for image series: 'FLYING FORTRESS CREW BACK IN ACTION FOLLOWING CRASH ON ENGLISH VILLAGE. All but two of the crew of a Flying Fortress which crashed on the village of Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, and exploded with its cargo of bombs following the fire which broke out inside the bomber, are back on operational duties with the Eighth Air Force. The navigator and bomb-aimer are still in hospital, recovering from injuries. They were rescued from the blazing Fortress shortly before the explosion. Gai. December 11 1943. Note to censor: This story covers the set of four pictures under the above title.’ Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2218 - A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group, who have returned to operational duties following a crash in their B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on...

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.



Flew on ""Fitch's Bandwagon"" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1"

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

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fitch's Bandwagon
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • 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.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Zenobia El Elephante
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Places

Revisions

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Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000, 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.4

Robert V Kerr: Gallery (2 items)