We are currently working on a site-wide upgrade which will be completed in October 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
Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-H] Bangor 29-Aug-42; Bassingbourn 1-Oct-42; Missing in Action 11m Wilhelmshafen 26-Feb-44. Flak hit caused fire in #4, crashed North Sea. 10 Killed in Action, Missing Air Crew Report 4830. KICKAPOO.
Ten crewmen Killed in Action an Missing 26 February 1943 in B-17F 41-24447 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron while on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany.The aircraft was hit by German flak which set engine four afire and caused them to crash into the North Sea approximately 80 miles northwest of Wilhelmshaven. MACR 4830.
O-728163 Ralston E Bixler 2L NJ Navigator
O-727619 Cassius Brandenburg 2L LA Bombardier
15098471 Robert A De Barbrie SS OH Waist Gunner
12059493 Herbert E Fisher SS NY Tail Gunner
14080617 Everett Gause TS FL Radio Operator/Gunner
39165252 Walter E Gilroy TS CA Top Turret Gunner
O-662777 Harry O Green 1L TX Co-pilot
16035783 Gregg Nesemeier SS IL Waist Gunner
16047423 Arthur A Sullivan SS WI Ball Turret Gunner
O-431064 John T Swais Cp TX Pilot
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 | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) On 26-Feb-43 in B-17F #41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Navigator on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
B-17 41-24447 'Kickapoo' crashed into North Sea on 26 February 1943. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26 February 1943 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner on a mission to Wilhlemshaven, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS whicle serving as Tail Gunner on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed on Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Rodio Operator on a mission to Wilhelmshave, Germany. The aircraft was shot down and crashed into the North Sea.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner while on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Flight Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) in B-17F #41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Co-Pilot on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in ACtion (KIA) 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Right Waist Gunner on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Ball Turret Gunner while on a mission to Wilhelmshave, Germany. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Captain | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
John T Swais served as a pilot with the 401st Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group.
...
26 February 1943
After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities...
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...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) | North Sea | 26 February 1943 |
|
Last seen 20 miles north of Norderney Island with #4 engine smoking. Crashed into the sea with the loss of all crew. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 04 September 2019 19:55:18 | drjones46 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
macr 4830 and FindaGrave |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 June 2015 01:31:50 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 31-May-2015. Corrected typos in FTR event. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 20:34:52 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added nickname, markings, Radio Call Sign, loss note on FTR event; edited Description to change dates to militray-style notation; added crew position, rank and full prorper name and formatted crew display per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey, MBE. Also reference MACR 3575. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3575 / MACR 4830 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
||
