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B-17 Flying Fortress
42-31083 (Tenny Belle (FR-A)) with members of the 525th BS Ordnance Armament Crew
The Official Report of Aircraft Accident (A.A.F. Form No. 14) for B-17G 42-31083, Tenny Belle on 11 April 1944. Lists all crew members, reports from ground personnel, the one survivor and official findings.
42-31083 with unknown crew after 25th mission
DALY'S CREW, September 1943, Pyote Air Base, Texas L-R: William Evans, Navigator; Robert Koerber, Copilot; Lyle Young, Radio man; Howard Polizzo, Tail gunner; John Daly, Pilot; Harvey Tuber, Ball turret gunner; Wayne Langendoerfer, Top turret gunner; Frank Hearne, Left waist gunner; John MacCallum, Right waist gunner; Joseph Jennings, Bombardier.
DALY'S CREW - September 1943 Pyote Air Base, Texas Front row: John Daly, Pilot; Robert Koerber, Co-pilot; William Evans, Navigator; Joseph Jennings, Bombardier. Back Row, Gunners: Lyle Young; Frank Hearne; John MacCallum; Wayne Langendoerfer; Howard Polizzo; Harvey Tuber. This ten man crew was awarded the Air Medal on their second bombing mission, to Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
"A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Tenny Belle" at an 8th Air Force base in England on 13 March 1944." From R-L: Unkn, 2Lt Eugene F Hart, Unkn, 2Lt Earl L Houston, 2Lt Richard C Brooke.
Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43;
Assigned 525BS/379BG [FR-A] Kimbolton 19/10/43;
Take off accident, on her 38th mission (379th Mission #95 / 8th AF Mission #298 against the Focke-Wulf facility in Sorau) 11/4/44; crash landed Fen Farm, Stow Bardolph, Barroway Drove Norfolk, with John Daly, Co-pilot: Bob Koerber, ng-S/Sgt Carl Christianson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Adriel Langendoerfer, Radio Operator: Omer Young, Ball turret gunner: Harvey Tuber, Waist gunner: Frank Hearne, Waist gunner: John McCallum, Tail gunner: Howard Polizzo (9 KIA - when ship crash landed); Navigator: Bill Evans (RTD - bailed out safely); Salvaged 18/4/44.
Specific model details: an early -G model, the 51st from Boeing, with the Bendix remotely sighted chin turret that replaced the nose and cheek guns on earlier models. Production pre-dates the "Cheyenne" tail turret mod. Waist gun positions were fully enclosed in Plexiglas, and level with each other. The radio compartment gun was also enclosed.
In 2018 a memorial-plaque was unveiled inside Barroway Drove Village Hall, the crew's names (from the 'Tenny Belle'), are commemorated on this plaque.
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
Squadron
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 526BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 36 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 526BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 33 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME
Military | Staff Sergeant | Bombardier / L,R Waist Gunner, Nose Gunner / Togglier | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) in 42-31083; A/C exploded mid-air near Downham Market, England. Killed in Action (KIA).
Awards: AM, PH.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 526BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat mission. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 26 x combat missions. Flew in B-17 42-31083 'Tenny Belle' for most of his missions. ETD
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 11 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Sorau, Germany mission 11-Apr-44 'Tenny Belle' exploded in mid-air near Downham Market, England. Killed in Action (KIA). No MACR
Awards: AM, PH.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio operator | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 33 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: DFC, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 17 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Sorau, Germany mission 11-Apr-44 'Tenny Belle' exploded in mid-air near Downham Market, England. Sole survivor, blown out of A/C with chute. Wounded in Action (WIA) RTD....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 29 x combat missions. Flew in B-17 42-31083 'Tenny Belle' for most of his missions. ETD
...
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...
29 November 1943
This is another massive raid on Bremen, Germany by a force of 360 B-17s. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 182 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 94BG (40); 95BG (20); 96BG (41); 100BG (20);...
1 December 1943
This mission was directed at the industrial areas of Leverkusen and Solingen, Germany. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 221 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (27); 92BG (18); 303BG (17);...
5 December 1943
This mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 216 B-17 from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (10); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 351BG (35); 379BG (21); 381BG (30); 384BG (20); and 301BG (20)...
13 December 1943
The port areas at Bremen and Kiel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. This is the first mission where more than 600 aircraft are despatched. This mission is comprised of 8 elements. The first element consists 182 B-17s from: 91BG (31);...
16 December 1943
This is a massive mission of 631 heavy bombers directed at the port area of Bremen, Germany. The force of 631 included 1 PFF-equipped B-17s from 482BG dispersed among the attacking formations. The mission is composed of three elements. The first...
22 December 1943
This mission is composed of two forces directed at two separate targets, the communication centers at Osnabruck and Munster, Germany. The force attacking at Osnabruck is composed of two elements. The first element is composed of 227 B-17s (2 are PFF...
24 December 1943
This mission is directed at V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. The attacks are made between 1330-1510hrs. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a force of 277 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG ...
30 December 1943
The port area and oil refineries at Ludwigshaven, Germany are the target for this massive attack of 710 heavy bombers. The despatch includes 12 PFF-equipped B-17s from 482BG, 11 of these are effective on the mission, 3 are damaged, and the bomber...
31 December 1943
This mission is the last heavy bomber operation of 1943. 1943 had been a very "tough" year for the 8th Air Force in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). 23365 B-17s had been despatched on missions and 881 had Failed to Return (FTR) for a loss...
Military site : airfield
Planned for RAF use, Kimbolton airfield was built by W and C French Ltd. in 1941. The airfield was increased in size to accommodate a full US heavy Bomb Group, and the first such unit to us it was the 91st Bomb Group, who arrived in September 1942....
Crash site
Other location
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured | Boeing Plant 2 / Air Force Plant 17 | September 1943 |
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Manufactured at Boeing Plant 2 (also known as Air Force Plant 17) which was a factory building which was built in 1936 by the Boeing Corporation in King County, Washington in the United States. By the time production ceased in the building, the plant had built half of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, the Boeing 307s, the Boeing 377s, some of the Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, Boeing B-50 Superfortresses, B-47 Stratojets, B-52 Stratofortresses, and the initial Boeing 737s. It was located between the Duwamish River and Boeing Field. |
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| Delivered | Cheyenne Modification Center | 15 September 1943 |
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Modified with all it's armaments and combat equipment, then test flown. Once determined to be fit for flight, the aircraft was delivered to the 379th BG. |
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| Assigned | Kimbolton AAF | 19 October 1943 |
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Assigned 525th BS, 379th BG |
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| Crashed | Barroway Drove, Norfolk | 11 April 1944 |
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Take off accident, Sorau 11/4/44; crash landed Fen Farm, Barroway Drove Norfolk, UK., with John Daly, Co-pilot: Bob Koerber, ng-S/Sgt Carl Christianson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Adriel Langendoerfer, Radio Operator: Omer Young, Ball turret gunner: Harvey Tuber, Waist gunner: Frank Hearne, Waist gunner: John McCallum,Tail gunner: Howard Polizzo (9KIA- when ship crash landed); Navigator: Bill Evans (RTD- bailed out safely) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 30 April 2022 20:09:00 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 November 2019 12:12:00 | Emily | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Removed source information added by Horsham from biography, and corrected information in record |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 November 2019 09:31:44 | Hornchurch | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Several corrections to make, to the above..... 6, = Neither Barroway Drove (Fens), or Stow Bardolph are in Suffolk at all.... 7, = ALL the places; crash-site & names mentioned, are in the county of NORFOLK |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 March 2018 16:14:00 | TennyBelle | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
multiple on-line sources based upon serial number and a/c photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 March 2018 02:52:53 | TennyBelle | Changes to events and place associations |
| Sources | ||
B-17 database |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 March 2018 18:20:38 | TennyBelle | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
8th AF mission database |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 March 2018 01:31:21 | Jennings | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Joseph W. Jennings Military Papers - 1943-1945 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 March 2018 01:30:32 | Jennings | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Joseph W. Jennings Military Papers - 1943-1945 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 February 2018 08:04:37 | TennyBelle | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Edited to reflect actual incident details from the Accident report (attached in media) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 December 2017 20:40:30 | TennyBelle | Changes to markings |
| Sources | ||
avail/known data |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 December 2017 20:01:28 | TennyBelle | Changes to production block number |
| Sources | ||
corrected typo in block no. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 December 2017 19:43:10 | TennyBelle | Changes to markings |
| Sources | ||
updated; web databases |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 December 2017 19:41:45 | TennyBelle | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames and markings |
| Sources | ||
various web sources/databases |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:36 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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