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B-17 Flying Fortress
John C. Mouat Crew B-17F-120-BO #42-30778 "Lady Margaret" Code: U 388th BG - 561st BS Standing L to R: Milton W. Thompson (R/O), Edward Parsons (TG), William C. McVey (WG), Thomas E. Morton (WG), Edward J. English (FE), Bernard A. Johnson (BTG) Kneeling L to R: Henry R. Sampson (CP), Harold R. Vague (N), Milton L. Ehrenreich (B), John C. Mouat (P)
Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/43; Gore 6/8/43; Pendleton 12/8/43; Reno 14/8/43; Pierre 16/8/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/9/43; crashed on take off for France 13/8/44 with Leon Sutton, Co-pilot: Harlan Thompson, Navigator: George Healy, Bombardier: Harry Fisher, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Walt Midget, Radio Operator: Cpl Joe Camarda, Ball turret gunner: Cpl Rich Bing, Waist gunner: Cpl Emerson Coleman, Tail gunner: Fred Bernjus; 9 RTD; on runway left tyre blew out causing aircraft to swerve and ground loop, but damage too severe for repair; Salvaged. LADY MARGARET.
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Poznan, Poland, B-17G #42-39894 'Barbara' left the formation due to a fuel leak and was shot down by fighters, exploded in mid-air, and crashed near Funen, Denmark on 20 Feb 1944. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, another B-17 from the 388th went out of control after being attacked by fighters and collided with B-17G #42-40054 which exploded and crashed SE of Emmen, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA). Died of...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Flew 30 missions with the 388th BG between July 44 and Jan 45, the last 14 as lead pilot. Known to have flown on the following aircraft.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Poznan, Poland, B-17G #42-39894 'Barbara' left the formation due to a fuel leak and was shot down by fighters, exploded in mid-air, and crashed near Funen, Dnmark on 20 Feb 1944. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed at Baltrum on 31 Dec 44 in B-17 44-8207
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Worked as an Air Traffic Controller after the war
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Left Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Poznan, Poland, B-17G #42-39894 'Barbara' left the formation due to a fuel leak and was shot down by fighters, exploded in mid-air, and crashed near Funen, Dnmark on 20 Feb 1944. Killed in Action (KIA).
26 September 1943
This mission was composed of four elements. The first element was a combined force of 55 B-17s from 91BG (19); 381BG (18); and 351BG (18) that were dispatched to attack industrial targets in and around Paris, France. As the formation approached the...
2 October 1943
This mission is composed of three elements, two or which are directed at the industrial areas of Emden, Germany and the other at the German airfield at Woensdrecht, Holland. The first element is a formation of 163 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division which...
4 October 1943
This mission is composed of five elements. The first element is a combined force of 104 B-17s from: 306BG (16); 92BG (17); 395BG (17); 303BG (19); 379BG (18) and 384BG (17) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany. 77 aircraft are...
8 October 1943
The shipyards and industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission, but cloud cover causes some formations to bomb targets of opportunity. The attacking elements have been summarized below:
...
9 October 1943
This mission is composed of 6 elements. The first element is a combined force of 115 B-17s from: 303BG (20); 379BG (20); 384BG (21); 351BG (21); 91BG 16; and 381BG (16) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Anklam, Germany. 106 aircraft are...
14 October 1943
This was the 2nd mission flown against the ball bearing industry at Schweinfurt, Germany and was as equally disastrous as that flown on 17-Aug-43. It came to be known as "Black Thursday". While fighter escort was dispatched, bad weather and lack of...
3 November 1943
October 1943 turned out to be the worst loss rate for 8th Air Force for the entire war. 2,145 B-17s and 303 B-24s had been dispatched on missions. 163 B-17s had been lost (lost rate 7.5991%) and 9 B-24s were lost (loss rate 2.9703%). These loss rates...
5 November 1943
Having had good success with P-38 escorts and limiting penetration depth into Germany this mission is directed at the railroad marshaling yards and oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. In addition the marshaling yards at Munster, Germany are also...
11 November 1943
This mission is composed of two element. The first element is a combined force of 167 B-17s of 3rd Bomb Division including: 94BG (21); 95BG (20); 96BG (42-double force); 100BG (20); 385BG (23) and 390BG (21) dispatched to bomb the railroad marshaling...
13 November 1943
The port area of Bremen, Germany is the focus of this mission composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 154 B0-17 of 1st Bomb Division including 94BG (16); 385BG (17); 95BG (21); 100BG (18); 390BG (21); 96BG (40); and 388BG ...
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Other location
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Cheyenne, WY, USA | 28 July 1943 |
| Assigned | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 3 September 1943 |
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388 BG |
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| First 388th BG Combat Mission | Reims, France | 26 September 1943 |
| Crashed | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 13 August 1944 |
|
Ground Loop on Takeoff - Salvaged |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 21 April 2022 03:41:34 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid reada |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2017 04:49:18 | 466thHistorian | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=42-30778&dat... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2017 04:36:28 | 466thHistorian | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=42-30778&dat... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:33 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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