-
Page 117 of the 385th Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
-
Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Gore 6/5/43; Kearney 30/5/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 551BS/385BG [HR-K] Gt Ashfield 16/6/43; Missing in Action Evreux 24/8/43 with Maj Preston Piper, Co-pilot: Vince Masters, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Luther Daniels, Radio Operator: Paul Schultz, Ball turret gunner: Bill Armes,Tail gunner: Lt Tom Morgan (6 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Capt John Dewey, Bombardier: Lee Jones (p-??), Waist gunner: Ed Sanders, Waist gunner: Archie Cameron (4 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Atlantic, about 40 miles off Padstow, Cornwall; Missing Air Crew Report 961. LULU BELLE.
Read Vince Masters account of the crew's final mission here: http://www.385thbga.com/wp-content/uploads/22Lulu-Belle22-on-Mission-11.pdf
Service
Units
-
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
-
People
-
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 385th Bomb Group
Shot down 24 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30187 'Lulu Belle'. Plane ditched in Channel, Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Captain | Group Bombardier | 385th Bomb Group
August 17, 1943 - Hospitalized in Africa. #42-30187 'Lulu Belle' B-17 piloted by Preston Piper was hit by flak and shot. Dentoni and navigator Lt. Paul Schultz manned waist guns as tail gunner had been injured.
...
-
Military | Captain | Lead Navigator | 385th Bomb Group
On 24 August 1943, John A Dewey and his crew were returning to their base at Great Ashfield in Suffolk from North Africa in their B-17 “Lulu Belle” after a mission over Regensburg.
...
-
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 385th Bomb Group
Shot down 24 August 1943 in B-17 42-30187 'Lulu Belle. ' Plane ditched in Channel. Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 385th Bomb Group
1st Pilot to Lead Pilot to Squadron Operations Officer. Completed required 28 missions.
...
-
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 385th Bomb Group
More than anything, he loved to fly. In high school in Santa Ana, he was part of a club that built a glider plane. I have home movies he made flying over the orange groves in Santa Ana, California in the mid-1930's. Shot down 24 August 1943 in B-17 ...
-
Military | Technical Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 385th Bomb Group
Shot down 24 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30187 'Lulu Belle'. Plane ditched in Channel, Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Lead Naviagator | 385th Bomb Group
Lieutenant Paul Schulz from Detroit, Michigan was a radio operator of the 385th Bomb Group. As radio operator, he was responsible for communicating with other aircraft and bases. On 24 August 1943, Schulz and his crew were returning to their base at...
Places
-
Military site : airfield
The airfield was built in 1942 by John Laing & Son Ltd. 108,000 tons of concrete was used in its construction, creating a Class 'A' airfield suitable for heavy bombers. The 385th Bomb Group took up residence in the summer of 1943, and remained at the...
-
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) |
North Sea |
24 August 1943 |