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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/1/43; Salina 9/2/43; Brookley 12/3/43; Morrison 31/3/43; Assigned 511BS/351BG [DS-R] Polebrook 18/4/43; Missing in Action 15m Anklam 9/10/43 with Howie Maser, Co-pilot: Don L’Abbee, Navigator: Morris Eagle, Bombardier: Howie Ferguson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Everett Sanford, Radio Operator: Paul Walsh, Waist gunner: Bill McGee, Waist gunner: Harry Crum, Tail gunner: Malvern Morgan (9 Prisoner of War), Ball turret gunner: Ken Gorsuch (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Vollstedt, 18 miles south west Flensburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 875. SPITBALL.
Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Sergeant | Bombardier, Bombardier; Togglier | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 351st Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) Oct. 9, 1943
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). Target assigned, Frankfurt. Shot down by flak on return and crashed in the mouth of the River Scheldt, about 2 miles SE of Flusing, Holland. The body of S/Sergeant Burgess was washed up on the 19 Oct 43 near Flusing. S/Sergeant...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29603 'Spitball'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 9 October 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 11 February 2020 05:03:49 | jmoore43 | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Added a unit connection to the 8th AF. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 January 2020 22:46:12 | jmoore43 | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Added the nickname mentioned in the A/C “Description”. Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:22 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 875 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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