42-29776 | American Air Museum

42-29776

Delivered Cheyenne 19/2/43; Gore 2/3/43; Tinker 5/4/43; Romulus 12/4/43; Presque Is 26/4/43; Assigned 305BG Chelveston 19/7/43; transferred 326BS/92BG [JW-F] Alconbury 21/7/43; 524BS/379BG [WA-F] Kimbolton 4/9/43; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Sam Gaffield, Co-pilot: Thoralf Carlson, Navigator: Steve Namjestink, Bombardier: Hector De Vargas, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Edwin Grossman, Radio Operator: John Ehrenzeller, Ball turret gunner: Fred Landis, Waist gunner: Art Skelton, Tail gunner: Bill Forsythe (9 Killed in Action), Waist gunner: Ramey Gray (Prisoner of War); collision with enemy aircraft, crashed Grettstadt, SE of Goshsheim, SE of Schweinfurt, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 1353.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.

379th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

The insignia of the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group.

524th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

William Bonin

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12093092 / O-676540
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Thoralf D Carlsen

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Hector E De Vargis

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

John M Ehrenzeller

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner

William J Forsythe

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Aerial photograph of Alconbury airfield, looking east. The technical site is at the top, the bomb dump is on the left, 9 May 1944. Photograph taken by 13th Photographic Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group USAAF, sortie number US/7GR/LOC334. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

Alconbury

Site type: Airfield

Ground crews of 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses wait for their aircraft to return to Chelveston airbase after a raid on the 30 June 1943; a B-17 Flying Fortress is coming in to land. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresse

Chelveston

Site type: Airfield

Aerial photograph of Kimbolton airfield looking west, the bomb dump and technical site with a T2 hangar is on the left, 10 August 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/635. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Kimbolton

Site type: Airfield

Presque Isle Army Airfield

Site type: Airfield
Known as: PIAAF / Presque Is

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany

14 October 1943

Revisions

Date29 Apr 2021 18:21:41

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

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

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:23

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1353 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database