42-31050
Delivered Cheyenne 11/9/43; Gr Island 3/10/43; Assigned 525BS/379BG [FR-R] Kimbolton 19/10/43; transferred 527BS;
Missing in Action Frankfurt 29/1/44 with Jack Rhyner, Co-pilot: Leon Lovens, Radio Operator: Fred Brown, Ball turret gunner: Walt Eckleberry (4 evaded capture);
Navigator: Jim Dennis, Bombardier: Harry Walz, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Ventimiglia captured 16/3/44, Waist gunner: John Ault, Waist gunner: Larry Giles captured 16/3/44, Tail gunner: Frank Mabante (6 Prisoner of War);
Shot down by enemy aircraft, crash landed Bra-Lierneux, Liege, Bel.; Missing Air Crew Report 2874.
The crash site was recently discovered by the Bulge Relics Museum, in the Belgian Ardennes.
The location of the crash site is in the Joubieval-Ottre area. The team found lots of B-17 parts there including an aluminum plate with the number stenciled : - 31050
For more detailed information see: http://bulgerelics.skynetblogs.be/
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron 527th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron 527th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Frankfurt, Germany | 29 January 1944 | |
|
Crashed |
Joubiéval, Belgium | 29 January 1944 |
Revisions
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.
Correspondence with Jean-François Noirhomme, curator of the Bulge Relics Museum.
See also: http://bulgerelics.skynetblogs.be/
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2874 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database