43-37821 Red Hot Mama

Delivered Cheyenne 25/5/44; Kearney 4/6/44; Grenier 17/6/44; Assigned 711BS/447BG Rattlesden 20/6/44; 710BG. Missing in Action Berlin 6 October 1944 with Pilot Vladimir A. Mateyka, Co-Pilot Keith W. Mc Call, Navigator Louis Sobolof, Bombardier Virgil W. Ethridge, Top Turret gunner Anthony V. Carnesi, Radio Operator Laverne T. Pratt, Ball Turret gunner Eugene F. Schmitt, Waist gunner John F. Simpson and Tail gunner Thomas R. Davis (9 Prisoner of War). Enemy aircraft above Berlin, headed for England, but had to ditch. Ditched in the North Sea, according to MACR, about 50 miles off the Firian Island of Norderney, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 9779. RED HOT MAMA.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 447th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32713454
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38607355
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19181828 at enlistment, then O-776890
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12122352 at enlistment, then O-823904
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Missions

  • Date: 6 October 1944

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW)

off Norderney, Frisian Islands, Germany 6 October 1944 Letter from Louis Sobolof in 1980's to Sgt. Bourque Recognition Programs Branch HQ AFMPC/DPMASA Randolph Air Force Base ,Texas ...we were hit over the German mainland on our 3rd mission. I think the target was Berlin. We lost an engine over the target and I navigated the course outside of Germany as we constantly lost altitude and engines. We ditched the B17 in the North Sea near the Frisian Islands. A rescue plane dropped rubber motorized boats and was in turn shot down by two German planes in a dogfight right above our heads. A German flying boat landed alongside us and took us in. After a couple of weeks in solitary during interrogation we were taken to our first Stalag. I do not recall the number but it was near Berlin and we arrived just shortly after a large break from the English compound, most of whom had been recaptured. Incidentally, with regard to timing we are dealing now with Fall 1944 and you can establish the date more precisely if you wish to because the trains that brought us to the Stalag were loaded with soldiers who had been captured during the Battle of the Bulge. Around Xmas time the Russians were approaching from the east and we had to quite suddenly abandon camp. We set out upon a march to the South and I recall that it was freezing cold. In fact I got frostbite and do not even remember walking the great distances,living off local handouts, and when we were lucky sleeping indoors in factories or gymnasiums. Finally the train ride in cattle fashion brought us to our next Stalag outside of Nuremberg. This camp was completely disorganized, food was scarce and Red Cross packages did not arrive. Worst of all we were within a mile of the freight yards which were constantly bombed, and we well understood that the Germans were gong through.I think our stay here was no more than a couple of months and we took to the road again. This time it was obvious that the situation was disintegrating and the guards who accompanied us were more concerned with looking after their own skins than feeding us, or even observing the minimum civilities. It was at this stage, as we marched south that one of my friends took ill and was dead by evening.We arrived beat and bedraggled at a Stalag near Munich that had obviously been in operation for many years because the intelligence and other operations were beautifully handled by the British, many of whom had been captive for four years.I might add that one of the most thrilling recollections of the entire period was the sight of these British captives assembling in their compound on Sunday mornings with their kilts and bagpipes and dancing in such spirited fashion as if for the moment they were transported outside of their situation. Also the Russians who drifted through the various compounds and were maltreated by their captors; so much so, that upon the first day of liberation they went in to town and killed all the Germans they encountered. This liberation took place for us one morning in late spring 1945 when all our guards had disappeared during the night and General Patton rode triumphantly in the rear of a jeep to our stunned applause.

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 9779

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
Contributorwalnyc
Changes
Sources

letter from Louis Sobolof in 1980's to Sgt. Bourque Recognition Programs Branch HQ AFMPC/DPMASA
Randolph Air Force Base ,Texas
.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 9779 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database