We are currently working on a site-wide upgrade which will be completed in September 2022
You will not be able to search, add or edit information in the American Air Museum archive while this takes place.
You can find out more about our plans here
B-17 Flying Fortress
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Fertile Myrtle" of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. Another 323rd Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (OR-S, serial number 42-29520) is in the background.
42-29520 John Karp's crew prior to Brehmen raid
Delivered Cheyenne 31/12/42; Salina 9/1/43; Morrison 12/2/43; Homestead 17/2/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-O] Molesworth 6/3/43; transferred 323BS/91BG [OR-S] Bassingbourn 7/9/43; Missing in Action Bremen 8/10/43 with John Karp, Co-pilot: Dave Boswell, Navigator: Art Poole, Bombardier: Bernie Gabler, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Fred Hitchens, Radio Operator: Pat McLoughlin, Waist gunner: Bob Brooks (7 Prisoner of War), Ball turret gunner: Ed Davis, Waist gunner: Ed Apicella,Tail gunner: Melvin Leimas (3 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Neustadt-Wagenfeld, eight milees SE of Diepholz, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 909.
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 42-29520. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29520, Prisoner of War (POW). Member of Caterpillar Club.
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as Navigator of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #4229520. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as Tail Gunner of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29520, Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #4229520. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #4229520. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as Radio Operator of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.
...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29520, Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 8 October 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 20 July 2021 20:27:24 | acbernstein1 | Changes to nicknames and markings |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2017 13:39:56 | MarcErnst | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
From his son |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:22 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 909 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
||
