Wardlaw McGill Hammond Jr

Military
Lieutenants Wardlaw Hammon and Walter B Keith, Co-pilot and pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group, talk with Captain RJ White. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 12 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '296491.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo shows: The pilot and co-pilot talking with Captain RJ White. Left to right: Lieut Wardlaw Hammond, co-pilot of Philadelphia, Penn: Lieut Walter B Keith, pilot, of Hodgeville, Kentucky: and Capt RJ White of K media-380540.jpg FRE 2217 Lieutenants Wardlaw Hammon and Walter B Keith, Co-pilot and pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group, talk with Captain RJ White.

Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 12 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '296491.' [Censor no.]
Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo shows: The pilot and co-pilot talking with Captain RJ White.
Left to right: Lieut Wardlaw Hammond, co-pilot of Philadelphia, Penn: Lieut Walter B Keith, pilot, of Hodgeville, Kentucky: and Capt RJ White of Kingsport, Tenn, who rescued the navigator from the burning plane. G. 11th December 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 2217 - Lieutenants Wardlaw Hammon and Walter B Keith, Co-pilot and pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group, talk with Captain RJ White....

B-17 PILOT. 31 COMBAT MISSIONS IN EUROPE INCLUDING NORMANDY. B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 29 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD.

Earlier, had flown on 5 December 1943 as copilot to Walter B. Keith AC B-17#42-39825 'Zenobia El Elephante 2' stalled and exploded on ground 20 minutes later. Crew had escaped and villagers warned so there were no civilian casualties and the crew could return to duty.

DFC w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster, PUC

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32577472
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34611769
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Togglier/Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their new B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 12 Dec 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'RF.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Crew Back In Action Following Crash On English Village. Photo Shows:- Some of the crew walking from their new ship at a station "somewhere in England". L.-R.:- T/Sgt. William D. Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, South Carolina; Sergeant Waldon D. Cohen, Ball-turret gunner, of Altoona, Pennsylvania; Sgt. H
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

  • 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

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Corrected date of crash-landing upon return to base

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / WW II Memorial website, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Losses of 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 409-10 w/ crew pix,

href="http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=120">http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=120>

Wardlaw McGill Hammond: Gallery (3 items)