42-107071 Mag the Hag

Delivered Tulsa 11/2/44; Kearney 25/2/44; with Vernon Hannaford force landed base 6/3/44; Grenier 3/4/44; Assigned 325BS/92BG [NV-P] Podington 23/4/44; battle damaged Dresden 14/2/45 with Tom Havard, Co-pilot: Hugh waterman, Navigator: Harry Shaw, Bombardier: Leon Linden, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gil Schnaufer, Radio Operator: Harry Brouette, Ball turret gunner: Jesus Ortiz, Waist gunner: Bill Mooney, Tail gunner: Tom Hughes (9 Returned to Duty); #2 caught fire, crew ordered to bail out; pilots took ship on to land at French fighter base; Salvaged. Missing Air Crew Report 8596.

Pilot Thomas Havard ordered the crew to bail after the #2 engine caught fire. When all crew had bailed and only T Havard and his co-pilot remained, it was discovered that only one parachute remained. Neither T Havard or H Waterman would use it because it meant the other would most likely perish. T Havard and H Waterman continued flight. To their astonishment they were able to land their plane at the nearest airfield. At the time of the landing, T Havard and H Waterman were under the belief that the airfield was occupied by enemy forces. Again, they were both amazed to find that the airfield no longer belonged to enemy forces. Up until his death, T Havards order for his crew to bail has haunted him.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

8 September 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

325th BS Load Lists, June 1944, www.92ndbg.org

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

325th BS Load Lists, May 1944, www.92ndbg.org

Date
Contributortfoust1012
Changes
Sources

Tyler Foust. Grandson of Thomas J. Havard.

Date
Contributortfoust1012
Changes
Sources

Tyler Foust. Grandson of Thomas Havard, the pilot of this plane.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 8596 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database