43-38037 Liberty Belle
B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle' with part of her ground crew and the crew of Lt Raymond F. Jackson, 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Lavenham, England. All but two of Lt Jackson's crew were killed in a midair collision near Bielefeld, Germany on September 30, 1944. The men in this photo are:
Back Row (L to R):
2/Lt Edward C. Plevak, Bombardier – KIA
2/Lt John H. Franke Jr, Navigator – POW
Three ground crew members, unknown
2/Lt Theodore I. Sherrill, Copilot – KIA
1/Lt Raymond F. Jackson, Pilot – KIA
Front Row (L to R):
S/Sgt George R. Michael, Radio Operator – POW
Sgt Bennie L. Ballard, Waist Gunner – KIA
S/Sgt Willie Rogers, Ball Turret – KIA
S/Sgt Laverne W. Nelson, Engineer – KIA
S/Sgt Benjamin W. Harcq Jr, Tail Gunner – KIA
(Paul Webber) Hutchinson & Cortright
1. de Jong, Ivo. 'The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H)'. Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004 (This photo is published on page 134.)
2. Eric Michael, a grandson of S/Sgt George R. Michael. Email communication in January 2016
3. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 9422 (Raymond F. Jackson crew, B-17G 43-38037)
Also see:
Find A Grave. 1/Lt Raymond F. Jackson (1922 – 1944)
Cheyenne 19/6/44; Kearney 28/6/44; Dow Fd 11/7/44; Assigned 836BS/487BG Lavenham 13/7/44.
Missing in Action Bielefeld 30/9/44 with Ray Jackson, Co-pilot: Theo Sherrill, Navigator: Ed Plevak, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Laverne Nelson, Ball turret gunner: Bill Rogers, Waist gunner: Bernie Ballard, Tail gunner: Ben Harcq (7 Killed in Action); Bombardier: John Franke, Radio Operator: George Michael (2 Prisoner of War).
Propwash caused mid air collision with #43-38154 (487 BG); crashed Bexterhagen, East of Bielefeld, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 9422.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Bomber Command 1st Bomb Division 40th Combat Bomb Wing 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39281473
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Top Turret
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Germany | 30 September 1944 |
Revisions
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 9422 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database