9th Air Force
41-34947
B-26 Marauder
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"Crew of the Martin B-26 Marauder 'Lady Luck' of the 554th Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group pose by their plane at their base In Boxted Field, Essex, England On 4 January 1944." - B-26C serial 41-34947 'Lady Luck' (coded RU-K) of the 554th Bomb Sq, 386th BG. Standing, from left: James Baxter, (CP); Emmett Curran, (P); Roy Stroud, (N/B). Kneeling, from left: Robert Mixter, (E); John Lennon, (R); Robert Dall, (G). Pilot is James A Baxter Sr. (top left) here is another picture of the crew on a different day: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1695617196825&l=2d03baae27 Ground crew names on nosewheel door are Sgt Bob 'Shadow' Baron and Sgt Harry 'Wolf' Moore. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A11149-69801AC.
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Staff Sergeant Robert E. Dall, a tail gunner of the 386th Bomb Group paints a message to the Germans on the tail of his B-26 Marauder (RU-K, serial number 41-34947) nicknamed "Lady Luck". Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'Not to be published.' [stamp], 'Ministry of Information 30 Spet 1943.' [stamp] and '285966.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICA'S RED DEVIL FLYERS. USP/2247-14. Just as pilot's like to name their ships, gunners like to flaunt "Jerry" with their wit, but often speculate as to whether or not he appreciates it. Here S/Sgt Robert E Dall, New York City, tail-gunner of "Lady Luck" put finishing touches to his message to the Luftwaffe. At the time this picture was taken, Dall had been on five operational missions over enemy territory, on two of them German fighters tangled with his formation. In each case "Jerry" come off second best and now knows the strength of the Marauder.'
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"Crew of the Martin B-26 "Lady Luck" of the 554th Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group pose by their plane at their base in Boxted Field, Essex, England On 12 September 1943." - It was lost on 10-Feb-45 when part of its left wing was blown off by AAA over France. 5 KIA, 1 POW MACR 2082. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A11143-C69798AC.
554BS, 386BG, 9AF "Lady Luck". Lost 10-Feb-44 when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. 1 x POW, 5 x KIA. MACR 2082.
Assigned Crew:
Standing from left: James Baxter, (CP); Emmett Curran, (P); Roy Stroud, (N/B). Kneeling from left: Robert Mixter, (E); John Lennon, (R); Robert Dall, (G)
Regular Crew was on a two week leave when fill in crew was shot down.
Crew: Pilot 1Lt Robert B Spencer (O-521555), Co-Pilot F/O Dayton B Mitstifer (T-186567),
Bombardier 1Lt Arch A Dennen Jr (O-666009), Mech / Gunner S/Sgt Gerard G Bergeron - (36178693), Radio / Gunner T/Sgt Richard R Faith (13087676), Arm / Gunner S/Sgt John L Dorton (35285622).
Service
Units
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386th Bomb Group
Group
The 386th Bomb Group flew B-26 Marauders for the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. Whilst with the Eighth, the Group developed the formation release procedure for the B-26 on missions that targeted aerodromes, marshalling yards and V-weapon sites along the... -
554th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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James Baxter
Military | Major | 386th Bomb Group
James A Baxter Sr. served in the US Army for 22 years and retired. He flew 65 missions. -
Gerard Bergeron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer / Gunner | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) 10-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34947 'Lady Luck' when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 2082 ... -
Emmett Curran
Military | Pilot | 386th Bomb Group
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Robert Dall
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 386th Bomb Group
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Arch Dennen
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) 10-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34947 'Lady Luck' when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 2082 Awards: PH. -
John Dorton
Military | Staff Sergeant | Armourer / Gunner | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 554BS, 386BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) 10-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34947 'Lady Luck' when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 2082. ... -
Richard Faith
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio operator | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. ... -
Dayton Mitstifer
Military | Flight Officer | Co-pilot | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) 10-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34947 'Lady Luck' when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 2082. ... -
Robert Spencer
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 386th Bomb Group
Assigned to 554BS, 386BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) 10-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34947 'Lady Luck' when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 2082. ...
Places
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Andrews Field
Military site : airfield
The base was known as Great Saling when construction – by US Army engineers – began in 1942 but was renamed Andrews Field in honour of the memory of Gen. Frank M. Andrews, who was killed when the B-24 he was travelling in crash-landed in Iceland on 3... -
Boxted
Military site : airfield
Boxted was built for heavy bombers and became operational from May 1943. In the few months B-26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group were stationed there, there were two night attacks by the Luftwaffe. On 17 August 1943, one man was killed when bombs... -
Great Dunmow
Military site : airfield
The airfield, two miles north-west of Great Dunmow, was built in 1942-1943 by the US Army's 818th Engineer Battalion (Aviation), alongside British contractors. B-26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group moved in in September 1943, and in October the Group...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Middle River, MD, USA | 1943 |
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Built at Martin's. |
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| Delivered | Joint Base Andrews, MD, USA | 1943 |
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Delivered to USAAF. |
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| Assigned | Great Dunmow, Dunmow CM6, UK | 1944 |
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Transferred at 554BS, 386BG, 9AF. |
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| Crashed | East of berck sur mer, France | 10 February 1944 |
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Lost 10-Feb-44 when flak shell hit fuel tank of starboard wing, wing detached at nacelle and A/C tumbled on fire. France. 1 x POW, 5 x KIA. MACR 2082. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 20 March 2020 17:18:53 | Baxterco | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
updated crew info. From grandson of Co Pilot. James A Baxter |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 March 2020 17:16:13 | Baxterco | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
corrected info from Brain Gibbons |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 March 2020 17:15:02 | Baxterco | Changes to nicknames, description, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated with correct info |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 June 2017 21:16:00 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events, unit associations and place associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 January 2015 22:47:37 | Tanks | Changes to nicknames |
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AAM Photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 January 2015 22:36:30 | Tanks | Changes to nicknames |
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AAM Photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:06 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 2082 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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