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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/6/44; Lincoln 14/7/44; Grenier 11/8/44; Assigned 860BS/493BG [NG-J] Debach 13/8/44; Missing in Action Bielefeld, Ger 30/9/44 with Dan Treece, Co-pilot: Jim Welsh, Bombardier: Stanton Gage, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ernie Barton, Radio Operator: Theo Tourtellott, Ball turret gunner: Carroll Moss, Waist gunner: Enrico Spatarella, Tail gunner: Carrel Stamps (8 Killed in Action); Navigator: Artemon Johnson (Prisoner of War); hit by bomb from aircraft above, crashed Wellenkotten, near Bielefeld, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 9429. RELUCTANT LASSIE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/8/44; Lincoln 18/8/44; Grenier 2/9/44; Assigned 860BS/493BG [NG-S] Debach 13/9/44; Missing in Action Bielefeld 30/9/44 with Edison LaFlame, Co-pilot: Morris Levine, Navigator: Allen Austin, Bombardier: Vince O’Neill, Ball turret...
Group
The 493rd Bomb Group was the last Eighth Air Force Group to become operational, flying their first combat mission from Debach, Suffolk, on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The Group was known as "the Fighting 493rd", named by their Commanding Officer Colonel Elbert...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 7 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA) or Missing in Action (MIA),...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 8 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA), 1 Prisoner of War (POW)....
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 493rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 7 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA) or Missing in Action (MIA),...
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in B-17 #43-38115 'Reluctant Lassie'.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Missing in Action (MIA), presumed Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 8 of crew were Killed in Action ...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 8 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA), 1 Prisoner of War (POW)....
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 8 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA), 1 Prisoner of War (POW)....
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in A/C #43-38115. The aircraft was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an aircraft flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 7 of crew were Killed in Action (KIA) or Missing in...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-17G A/C #43-38115, 'Reluctant Lassie,' was hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group, at bombs away and exploded. 7 of the crew were Killed in Action (KIA) or Missing in Action (MIA),...
Military site : airfield
Debach was one of the last Eighth Air Force heavy bomber bases to be completed. It was built by the 820th Engineer Battalion (Aviation) between late '43 and early '44. Pronounced locally as 'Deb-idge', the base was built to a class A standard with...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 30 September 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 17 March 2021 19:09:05 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:41:25 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 9429 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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