Emil Thomas Petersen | American Air Museum in Britain

My father, Emil Thomas Petersen, radio operator, is farthest left in the front row. He missed the mission where this plane was lost ( along with all crew members) as he was ill. He was then transferred to the Texas Mauler B-17 Rear L-R William Borman, Lt Richard Ralls, Alfred Salsgiver, Lynnford Smith, LT Gay Rieder, LT Bert Brooks Front L-R T/Sgt Emil Petersen, John Heller, LT Irwin Williams, Lester Mann

Show caption About this image
Texas Mauler Front L-R Jerry Salemi, Halbert Baldwin, Martin Glasser Back L-R Giovanni Sisto, Emil Petersen, Dale Lowrey, John Ryan, Dan D'Alessio Photo credit Marc Benson

Show caption About this image
Rear L-R Harry Foster, Al Salsgiver, Emil Petersen, Edward Hunt, Lynnford SMith, Lester Mann Front L-R Lt Robert Jones, LT??? unreadable, LT Richard Ralls, LT Casey

Show caption About this image

Emil Thomas Petersen, radio operator, Gunner, Gunnery Instructor missed the mission where his aircraft and all its crew members were lost as he was ill. He was then transferred to the Texas Mauler B-17
Air Medal with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Medal with Bronze star

Recipient of "Lucky Bastard" certificate

Service

People

William Borman

Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 11 November 1943 in B-17 #42-39812 'Casey Jones'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Bert Brooks

Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 18 April 1944 in B-17 #4297545 'Better Half. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Clarence Casey

Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 4 October 1943 in B-17 #42-3538 'Ten Knights in a Bar Room'. Served with the 332nd BS. Flying 'Ten Knights in a Bar Room' from the 333rd as the crews regular aircraft was U/S. POW
John Heller

Military | Staff Sergeant | 94th Bomb Group
Edward Hunt

Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Crashed for unknown reasons on mission to Brunswick on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-3530. Prisoner of War (POW).
Robert Jones

Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 4 October 1943 in B-17 #42-3538 'Ten Knights in a Bar Room'. Evaded. Served with the 332nd BS. Flying Ten Knights in a Bar Room from the 333rd as the crews regular aircraft was U/S.
Lester Mann

Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 11 November 1943 in B-17 #42-39812 'Casey Jones'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Richard Ralls

Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 11 November 1943 in B-17 #42-39812 'Casey Jones'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Gay Rieder

Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Alfred Salsgiver

Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 11 November 1943 in B-17 #42-39812 'Casey Jones'. Killed in Action (KIA).

Units served with

8th Air Force

Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...
94th Bomb Group

Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
332nd Bomb Squadron

Squadron
Part of 94th Bomb Group.

Aircraft

42-30376

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 23/5/43; Gore 1/6/43; Smoky Hill 2/6/43; Grand Isle 3/6/43; Dow Field 25/6/43; Assigned 333BS/94BG Rougham 26/6/43 BOUNCING BITCH (BOUNCIN’ ANNIE I); transferred 331BS [QE- ]; Missing in Action Bordeaux 5/12/43 with John Fant; severe...
42-30378 Wolf Pack, Good Time Cholly III

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 25/5/43; Kearney 5/6/43; Dow Fd 4/7/43; Assigned 331BS/94BG [QE-A] Rougham 4/7/43 WOLF PACK; Missing in Action Brunswick 10/2/44 with Alton Anderson, Co-pilot: Albt Clapie, Navigator: Gordon Feeley, Bombardier: Bernie Barker, Flight...
42-30444 Ramrod Ramsbottom, Black Jack IV

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 1/6/43; Gore 14/6/43; Kearney 15/6/43; Dow Fd 8/7/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-C2] Rougham 8/7/43 RAMROD RAMSBOTTOM; Missing in Action Bordeaux 5/1/44 with Harry Lockwood, Co-pilot: Chas Adcock, Bombardier: George Collins, Flight...
42-31234 The Barber Shop, Johnnie Walker III

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 6/10/43; Gr Island 17/10/43; Wilmington 245/10/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG Rougham 27/10/43 THE BARBER SHOP; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Joe Barber, Navigator: John McGrath, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Francis...
42-3135 LARRUPPIN’ LOU

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/2/43; Long Beach 26/2/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; damaged when parked by a taxying accent with C.S. Duran (in 42-3133) 18/2/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-K] Bassingbourn 4/43; transferred 511BS/351BG Polebrook 4/43, 25BG Watton, Nfk 1/3...
42-31449 Texas Mauler

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/11/43; Portland 4/11/43; Cheyenne 13/11/43; Kearney 16/11/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-A] Rougham 20/12/43; 333BS [TS-B]; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 26/6/45; Patterson 27/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45;...
42-31788 Janey, Janie Gal

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 14/12/43; Kearney 26/1/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG Rougham 8/2/44; force landed continent 10/11/44, Salvaged 18/11/44. JANIE GAL.
42-31946 Esky

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 10/1/44; Gt Bend 19/1/44; Assigned 333BS/94BG [TS- ] Rougham 9/2/44; Missing in Action Pas de Calais 20/4/44 with Don Swanson, Co-pilot: Chas Shearston, Navigator: Chas Webb, Bombardier: Marc Decaro, Flight engineer/top turret gunner...
42-3483 'Chopstick A-Able'

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 20/6/43; Rome 7/8/43; Assigned with H2S 812BS/482BG [MI-A] Alconbury 10/43; 384BG Grafton Underwood 14/4/44; transferred 401BG Deenethorpe 17/4/44; became radio-relay with 8th Fighter Command 22/7/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 12/7...
42-37747 Bucket of Bolts

B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 14/8/43; Denver 15/8/43; Scott 26/9/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-A] Rougham 30/9/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 5/12/43 with Jerome Devine, Co-pilot: Osborne Ficklen, Navigator: Frank Hubbs, Bombardier: Randy Schaefer, Flight engineer...

Missions

VIII Bomber Command 108

4 October 1943
This mission is composed of five elements. The first element is a combined force of 104 B-17s from: 306BG (16); 92BG (17); 395BG (17); 303BG (19); 379BG (18) and 384BG (17) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany. 77 aircraft are...
VIII Bomber Command 111

8 October 1943
The shipyards and industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission, but cloud cover causes some formations to bomb targets of opportunity. The attacking elements have been summarized below: ...
VIII Bomber Command 113

9 October 1943
This mission is composed of 6 elements. The first element is a combined force of 115 B-17s from: 303BG (20); 379BG (20); 384BG (21); 351BG (21); 91BG 16; and 381BG (16) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Anklam, Germany. 106 aircraft are...
VIII Bomber Command 114

10 October 1943
This mission was intended to be a massive attack of 307 B-17s on the railroad facilities and waterway (canals) at Munster, Germany. This attack was to be supported by a diversion 39 B-24s. The formation was attacked by hundreds of German fighters which...
VIII Bomber Command SCRUBBED

18 October 1943
This was another attempt at launching at attack on the industrial areas of Duren, Germany. Both B-17 Groups and B-24 Groups were scheduled to participate, but the mission was recalled over the North Sea because of weather. One B-24 Failed to Return ...
VIII Bomber Command 116

20 October 1943
The primary target for this mission is the industrial areas of Duren, Germany. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined formation of 103 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that includes: 91BG (3); 92BG (14); 303BG (19);...
VIII Bomber Command 119

3 November 1943
October 1943 turned out to be the worst loss rate for 8th Air Force for the entire war. 2,145 B-17s and 303 B-24s had been dispatched on missions. 163 B-17s had been lost (lost rate 7.5991%) and 9 B-24s were lost (loss rate 2.9703%). These loss rates...
VIII Bomber Command 121

5 November 1943
Having had good success with P-38 escorts and limiting penetration depth into Germany this mission is directed at the railroad marshaling yards and oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. In addition the marshaling yards at Munster, Germany are also...
VIII Bomber Command 131

16 November 1943
This mission was directed at targets in Norway. It was composed of three elements. The first element was a combined force of 189 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 384BG (21); 303BG (20); 379BG (22); 351BG (20); 91BG (20); 381BG (22); 305BG ...
VIII Bomber Command 134

19 November 1943
The primary target for this mission was Gelsenkirchen, Germany by adverse weather conditions and failure of the PFF equipment caused al formations to seek out targets of opportunity along the German-Dutch border. The force was composed of 168 B-17s...

Associated Place

Bury St Edmunds

Military site : airfield
The airfield was purpose-built for American bomb groups and as such had a 2,000 yard main runway that lain in concrete with a tarred and wood-chipped surface. The scale of bases such as this meant that very often the technical, administrative and...
Hunter Army Air Field

Military site : airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date
Died		June 2000

Date	Contributor	Update
14 May 2019 10:35:08	GySgt P USMC	Changes to awards
Sources
NA Form 13059 Dated 8 May 2019
Date	Contributor	Update
30 April 2019 12:13:03	GySgt P USMC	Changes to awards
Sources
DD214
Date	Contributor	Update
11 March 2019 13:52:21	GySgt P USMC	Changes to person associations
Sources
known associated from identified photos together
Date	Contributor	Update
25 February 2019 14:00:31	GySgt P USMC	Changes to mission associations
Sources
UPDATE MISSION LOG
Date	Contributor	Update
25 February 2019 12:35:19	GySgt P USMC	Changes to mission associations
Sources
Mr Watts Log of flights associated with Emil Petersen 3 missions I could not positively identify
Date	Contributor	Update
24 February 2019 21:43:21	GySgt P USMC	Changes to aircraft associations
Sources
update aircraft
Date	Contributor	Update
24 February 2019 21:09:44	GySgt P USMC	Changes to aircraft associations
Sources
open source
Date	Contributor	Update
24 February 2019 19:41:35	GySgt P USMC	Changes to service number, role, biography, unit associations, place associations and aircraft associations
Sources
DD-214
Date	Contributor	Update
22 February 2019 13:46:43	GySgt P USMC	Changes to unit associations
Sources
adding 8th AF as connected unit
Date	Contributor	Update
05 February 2019 18:45:56	GySgt P USMC	Changes to biography
Sources
Grandson
Date	Contributor	Update
05 February 2019 13:58:13	GySgt P USMC	Changes to nickname and highest rank
Sources
Grandson
Date	Contributor	Update
17 August 2018 14:52:40	Emily	Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, role, biography, unit associations, aircraft associations and media associations
Sources
Information added to UPL34882 by Robert Petersen, Son