41-2420 Bessie the Jap Basher
Delivered Salt Lake Strategic Arms Depot (SAD) 20-Nov-41; Assigned 42BS/11BG 15-Dec-41; Hickam Field, HI 22-Jul-42; shot down and ditched Doma Cove, near Henderson Field, Guadalcanal 24-Sep-42 with Capt Charles E. Norton, Co-pilot: Bruce Barker, Navigator: Leo Eminger, Bombardier: Jim Mathewson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Hotard, Radio Operator: Peter Novak, Ball turret gunner: Fred Croyle, Waist gunner: Bruce Osborne,Tail gunner: Ed Carroll (9KIA*); at least two inc. possibly Norton and Osborne, who were executed, the latter’s bones found by Seebees Jan/44. Rest* probably drowned after impact. BESSIE THE JAP BASHER. Missing Air Crew Report 15098. Never served in the UK.
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 24-Jun-2015. Appended Model to title (convention used for aircraft that never served in the UK); added Block Number , manufacturer, Edited Description (wrote out acronyms) converted dates to military-style signification per "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story", Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne.