42-29863 Kentucky Babe aka Ain’t it Gruesome
Military and Family Records
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/43; Denver 1/3/43; Gore 12/3/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 509BS/351BG [RQ-Y] Polebrook 16/4/43; Missing in Action 43m Frankfurt 11/2/44 with Capt John Carson, Co-pilot: Merlyn Rutherford*, Radio Operator: John Landers*, Ball turret gunner: Dave Lynch, Waist gunner: Jim Riley, Tail gunner: Joe Richey, foto-Stan Sokolowski (7 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Henry Heldman, Bombardier: Bill Spinning, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Haywood (3 evaded capture); Waist gunner: Rich Howard (Killed in Action); flak hits then enemy aircraft KO’d #3 plus other damage, crashed a mile S of Inval-Boiron, 12 miles NW of Poix-de-Picardie, Fr. (Book by Ken Harbour/Pete Harris tells the story of how these two men escape). Missing Air Crew Report 2528. KENTUCKY BABE aka AIN’T IT GRUESOME.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-450004
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-767760
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-728350 and 19060455 on enlisting
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 508th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19125741 at enlistment, then O-565390
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Cameraman, Gunner, Actor
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 390th Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19042225
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: PIAAF / Presque Is
Missions
- Date: 9 October 1943
- Date: 8 October 1943
- Date: 2 October 1943
- Date: 27 September 1943
- Date: 27 August 1943
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Belgium | 11 February 1944 |
Revisions
Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - “escape” was misspelled.
Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2528 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database