Harold W Fritzler

Military
media-25653.jpeg UPL 25653 Reproduction of the artwork that adorned the nose of B-24J #44-10558 "Ma's Lil' Angel" of the 466th BG - 785th BS sent ny Harold Fritzler to Earl Wassom.

This cartoon was originally painted by David Redfern the waist gunner assigned to the Eugene Scamhorn Crew of the 491st BG, when they were given the aircraft in San Francisco.

The Scamhorn Crew ferried #44-10558 over from the United States, and like most crews who ferried a bomber over, thought it would be the aircraft they took into combat, so they named it and painted only to have it taken away when they got to Northern Ireland.

Amends to caption as per Redfern's diary at 2nd Air Division Digital Archive

Object Number - UPL 25653 - Reproduction of the artwork that adorned the nose of B-24J #44-10558 "Ma's Lil' Angel" of the 466th BG - 785th BS sent ny Harold Fritzler to Earl...

On September 18th 1944 Fritzler's B-24 was unusually used to re-supply airborne forces in Holland. They flew in at 200 ft and were sitting ducks for the Germans who 'threw everything they had at us'. The hydraulic lines were cut by gunfire and they were diverted to Woodbridge the plane catching fire as it landed. Everybody got out but the plane was a write-off.

He recalled his time at gunnery school in Nevada, the temperature was often 100 degrees and one of the other cadets never took a bath and stank. They grabbed him one night - mattress and all - took him to the showers and scrubbed him. He got the message!

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at Arnhem, Sept 1944.'

491st Bomb Group

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

People

David Glen Redfern

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 35393626
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

44-10558

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ma's Lil Angel
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 491st Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorWhite-Knight
Changes
Sources

American Library Norwich Database.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Ringmasters' Log May 1988

Date
ContributorAAM
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 & Page 270 in the book SECOND AIR DIVISION by Turner Publishing Co, 1998 edition

Harold W Fritzler: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 25653 - Reproduction of the artwork that adorned the nose...