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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 gunner: Tom Bingman, Waist gunner: Joe Malloy, Tail gunner: John Jupinko (7 Killed in Action); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Howard Ortlip, Radio Operator: Jack Glide (2 Prisoner of War); hit by debris from #43-38115 (493BG), crashed Wahnbeckerheide, SE of Bielefeld, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 9430.
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...
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 | Flight Officer | Navigator | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in B-17G #43-38480. While enroute to target at Bielefeld, Germany, 500 lb bomb dropped by a/c in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this a/c setting left wing on fire....
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 30 September 1944 in B-17 #43-38480, Killed in Action (KIA). While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing...
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 30 September in B-17 #43-38480, Prisoner of War (POW. While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing on...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in A/C #43-38480. A/C was hit by the blast and debris from A/C #115, flying #7 position, low element. The latter A/C had been hit by a bomb or bombs, dropped from an A/C flying in the higher element, lead group,...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA), 30 September 1944 in B-17G #43-38480. While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing on fire....
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in B-17G #43-38480. While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing on fire....
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in B-17G #43-38480. While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C, setting left wing on fire....
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 493rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 September 1944 in B-17 #43-38480.
...
Military | Sergeant | Engineer, Top Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 30 September 1944 in B-17 #43-38480. Prisoner of War (POW). While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing...
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 19:15:49 | 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 18:41:29 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 9430 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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