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B-17 Flying Fortress
42-107043
Taxi accident involving B-17G 42-107043 (Lawrence E. Fiychette) and 43-37511x (Cleatus G. Lemmons) at Deenethorpe on 2 June 1944. Both 613BS/401BG/8AF.
Page 189 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
Page 198 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
AC # 42-107043, 'Fitch's Bandwagon', 401st Bomb Group. 29 May 1944
AC # 42-107043 'Fitch's Bandwagon' 613th BS, 401st BG
AC# 42-107043 'Fitch's Bandwagon' 613th BS, 401st BG. 11 April 1944
Delivered Tulsa 4/2/44; Grenier 2/3/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-B] 21 combat missions; Deenethorpe 23/3/44; Taxi accident while waiting to take-off for Equihen, France 2/6/44 with Larry Fitchett, Co-pilot: Bruce Campbell, Navigator: Lawrence Pfeiffer, Bombardier: Louis Sanchez, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bert Parsloe, Radio Operator: Max Bergener, Ball turret gunner: Louis Sassi, Waist gunner: Ralph Hannsbury, Waist gunner: Harry Kelsen, Tail gunner: Bob Kerr (10 Returned to Duty); was hit and damaged in tail by ship behind #43-37511 when taxiing; Salvaged 2 SAD 24/6/44. FITCH'S BANDWAGON.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/4/44; Kearney 5/5/44; Grenier 21/5/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-G] Deenethorpe 23/5/44; 614BS [IW-Y], 615BS [IY-L]; Missing in Action Merseburg 24/8/44 with Melvin Fish, Navigator: Gene Cramer, Bombardier: Ken Lucas, Flight...
Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
Squadron
Depot
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 613BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 11 x combat missions. William Protz crew. Shot down 28-May-44 in B-17 42-102580. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 5307.
Awards: AM, PH
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flexible Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 613BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Close call 5-Dec-43 AC B-1742-39825 'Zenobia El Elephante 2' stalled and exploded on ground 20 minutes later. Crew had escaped and villagers warned so no civilian casualties and crew returned. 13 x combat missions....
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 9 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD.
...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 9 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD.
Flew on ""Fitch's Bandwagon"" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1"
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military site : non-airfield
Strategic Air Depots were given separate station numbers to avoid confusion with the main airfield operation; the 2nd Strategic Air Depot, originally at Little Staughton, moved to Alconbury in March 1944 as that airfield, well served by road and rail,...
Military site : airfield
Deenethorpe was a base purpose-built for American heavy bombers, with the Class A regulation 2,000 and 1,400-yard runways. All the buildings on site,such as the accommodation and administrative blocks, were temporary. In December 1943, several local...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured | Long Beach, California | 4 February 1944 |
|
Douglas Aircraft Company |
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| Assigned | Deenethorpe Airfield, UK | 23 March 1944 |
|
401 BG |
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| Crashed | Deenethorpe, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17, UK | 2 June 1944 |
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Problem on take off for Equihen, France 2/6/44. Was hit and damaged in tail by ship behind [43-37511] when taxying. [10 x RTD] |
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| Salvaged | Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 24 June 1944 |
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Salvaged to 2 Strategic Air Depot 24/6/44. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 19 May 2022 09:42:57 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 September 2020 20:40:27 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 December 2019 22:18:14 | terveurn | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
From 401st Bg records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 December 2019 20:08:45 | terveurn | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
AAF accident report 44-6-2-521 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 March 2019 18:14:59 | 466thHistorian | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings and events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 January 2016 18:20:13 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
AAM DB Entry. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 January 2016 17:52:47 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, events, aircraft associations, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
AAM DB Entry. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:15 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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