Homer Contopidis
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Evaded.
The American Air Museum archive is under redevelopment
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
42-29627
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/1/43; Pueblo 19/2/43; Salina 25/2/43; Tinker 20/3/43; Smoky Hill 29/3/43; Presque Is 4/6/43; Assigned 410BS/94BG [GL- ] Earls Colne 12/5/43; Missing in Action Lorient 17/5/43 with Ed Spevak, Co-pilot: Homer Contopidis, Bombardier: Don Nichols, Tail gunner: Walt Minor, Wounded in Action (4 evaded capture); Navigator: Allen Posey, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Fred Ford, RO Chas Morris (?John Wells), Waist gunner: Lewis Taney, Waist gunner: Don Parks (5 Prisoner of War); Ball turret gunner: Joe Melvin (Melaun) (Killed in Action); flak, crashed Lorient; (first group loss). No MACR. MIDNIGHT.
Service
People
-
-
Frederick Ford
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Prisoner of War (POW). Silver Star, Bronze Star, Flying Cross -
Joseph Melaun
Military | Staff Sergeant | Aerial Engineer / Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
May 1, 1943, assigned target was the uboat yards at St. Nazaire and a navigational error on return took the group over heavily defended Brest. The B-17 42-29649 was attacked by fighters and caught on fire. The pilot landed at Cornwall, the BTG Maynard ... -
Walter Minor
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Evaded. -
Donald Nichols
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Evaded. -
Donald Parks
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Allen Posey
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Edward Spevak
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. EVD. -
Lewis Taney
Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 17 May 1943 in B-17 #42-29627 'Midnight'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Missions
-
VIII Bomber Command 58
17 May 1943
VIII Bomber Command launches another operation against German U-Boat facilities with three elements. The first element is a formation of 100 B-17s despatched from: 91BG (24); 92BG (10); 303BG (21); 305BG (21) and 306BG (24) to attack the German U-Boat...
Places
-
Presque Isle Army Airfield
Military site : airfield
Events
Not yet known
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 January 2020 21:07:29 | jmoore43 | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Added a connection to the 8th AF mission for 17 May 1943. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 January 2020 20:06:32 | jmoore43 | Changes to production block number |
| Sources | ||
Added "B17" to the "Production block number". |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 January 2020 20:04:18 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space(s) to the "Summary biography" for readability. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 October 2015 15:59:04 | dan35 | Changes to production block number, manufacturer and nicknames |
| Sources | ||
http://www.absa3945.com/Pertes%20Bretagne/Finistere/pertes_usaaf_finiste... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:22 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
||
