B-17 Flying Fortress
1st Lt Gilbert Jerome Schlesinger_Sept 1944_Kimbolton, England
Nose Gunner: Staff Sergeant Chester Mark Durham
Staff Sergeant Stewart Welton Schoch
2nd Lt Theodore "Ted" Zivanidis
Staff Sgt Shirley C Griffith
Members of the Miss Lace Crew on 30 Nov 1944 at their Duty Stations
Delivered Tulsa, OK 5/14/44; Kearney, NE 5/24/44; Dow Field, Bangor, ME 1/6/44; Assigned 527BS/379BG Kimbolton, England 10/6/44; Missing in Action northeast of Zeitz, Germany on 11/30/44 with 8 crew Killed in Action: 1st Lt Gilbert J Schlesinger, Pilot; 2nd Lt Howard G Mertens, Co-Pilot; 2nd LT Theodore Zivanidis, Bombardier; S Sgt Chester M Durham, Nose Gunner; T Sgt Bernard Bonderski, Top Turret Gunner; S Sgt Charles V Bowles Jr, Radio Operator/2nd Waist Gunner; S Sgt Shirley C Griffith, Ball Turret Gunner; S Sgt Stewart W Schoch, Waist Gunner; sole survivor: S Sgt Eugene S Bush, Tail Gunner (Held as a Prisoner of War); flak, lost right wing in an explosion, went into a steep dive while ablaze, and broke into two sections. Tail/waist crashed near Threna. Nose crashed in District 7, Oberholz Forest, near Großpösna and exploded approximately two minutes after impact. Missing Air Crew Report 11126. MISS LACE.
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
A native of Chicago, Bernard 'Bernie' Bonderski was the eldest son of a Polish immigrant father, Pawel 'Paul' Bonderski and Apolonia "Paulina" (Cholewinska, born in New Jersey) Bonderski. Bernard practiced the Roman Catholic faith. Bernie attended...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Charles was the youngest child and only son of Charles V Bowles Sr and Maude "Lovey" (Estes) Bowles. Born in Atlanta, GA, he moved at a young age with his parents first to Highland Park, Michigan, then Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated from Hide...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Eugene Scott Bush was the second son and youngest child of Kansas farmers, Robert T Bush and Ola M (Osborn) Bush. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on 04 Aug 1943.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Nose Gunner / Enlisted | 379th Bomb Group
Chester "Chick" Mark Durham was the fourth surviving son of cotton share croppers, Cornelious Jordan Durham and Anita Melvina (Stephens) Durham. He was a talented wood worker and musician. He loved to laugh, kick up his heels, and have a good time. In...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Shirley Clare Griffith was the son of Michigan natives, Carl W and Ethel Griffith. He attended Washington Gardner High School in Albion, MI. He enlisted in the Michigan State National Guard on 25 Sep 1940. He was inducted into the US Army on 24 Feb...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Sergeant Charles Marlatt kept a detailed journal through his entire military tour. He flew 3 missions out of Kimbolton and another 22 missions with the 92nd Bomb Group in Italy.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Howard 'Howie' Griffith Mertens was the second son and youngest child born to native Californians, Ferdinand C Mertens and Margaret Mary (Griffith) Mertens, but his paternal grandparents were German immigrants. Howie graduated from Mission High School...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Gilbert 'Gil' Jerome Schlesinger was the second son and youngest child of Samuel M and Celia Schlesinger, who practiced the Jewish faith. Gil never married and produced no known heirs.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Stewart Welton Schoch was the second son of Pennsylvania natives, Paul Edward Schoch, a chauffeur, and Gertrude Lydia (Stewart) Schoch. Stewart was single when he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on 19 Apr 1943. He served as the Waist Gunner on the B...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 379th Bomb Group
Theodore 'Ted' Zivanidis was the eldest of three children born to Greek immigrants, Athanasious 'Thanos or Thomas' Zivanidis and Elizabeth (Krettecos) Zivanidis. Ted's father and his maternal uncle, James Krettecos co-owned and operated an Altoona, PA,...
Military site : airfield
Planned for RAF use, Kimbolton airfield was built by W and C French Ltd. in 1941. The airfield was increased in size to accommodate a full US heavy Bomb Group, and the first such unit to us it was the 91st Bomb Group, who arrived in September 1942....
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 30 November 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 December 2019 20:42:41 | phil marchese | Changes to production block number and markings |
| Sources | ||
AAM entries; Osborne FORTLOG. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 March 2017 15:01:25 | lorelei1026 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
MACR11126 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 February 2016 15:35:38 | lorelei1026 | Changes to markings and description |
| Sources | ||
Missing Air Crew Report 11126; eye witness testimony of Henry N Meyer regarding last visual sighting; eye witness testimony of Eugene S Bush who survived the crash. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 February 2016 22:42:20 | lorelei1026 | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Missing Air Craft Report #11126. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 April 2015 14:24:48 | Terra Inc. | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
MACR 11126 + Ku 3401 contained in it |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:41:49 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 11126 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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