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41-24617

B-17 Flying Fortress

  • An airman of the 305th Bomb Group in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed

    An airman of the 305th Bomb Group in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Southern Comfort". Passed for publication 17 Feb 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '305BG. 16-2-43.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].

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  • 1st Lt Ashcraft and crew of the 305th Bomb Group, are shown beside a B-17 Flying Fortress. 29 November 1942. England. 41-24617

    1st Lt Ashcraft and crew of the 305th Bomb Group, are shown beside a B-17 Flying Fortress. 29 November 1942. England. 41-24617 "Southern Comfort" WF-J, badly damaged mission to Rotterdam, 31 march 43, crew abandoned A/C over UK, 1 x KIA, 9 x RTD. Pilot managed to stagger back to belly landing at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Eng. Rear L-R – 2Lt William J Lakey[Copilot], 2Lt James Alfred Moberly[Nav], Lt Hugh Ashcoft[Pilot], 2Lt Bert M Wells[Bomb], S/Sgt James Patterson[Waist]. Front L-R – T/Sgt Stephen L Gogolya[TT/Eng], T/Sgt Douglas Glover[Radio], S/Sgt Frank Hern Hilsabeck[TailGun], S/Sgt Ray Armstrong[Ball Turret], S/Sgt Frank Corser[Waist].

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Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-J] Presque 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31/3/43 with Hugh Ashcraft, Co-pilot: Bill Lakey, Navigator: Bert Wells, Bombardier: Jim Moberley, Radio Operator: Doug Glover, Ball turret gunner: Ray Armstrong, Waist gunner: Jim Patterson, Waist gunner: Frank Corser, Tail gunner: Frank Hilsabeck (9 Returned to Duty);

Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Steve Gogoyla Killed in Service -killed when slipped out of his chute after nearing Tolleshunt Major, a couple of miles away; pilot eventually brought the ship staggering back to crash land in woods at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Ex., UK.; sal 1/4/43. SOUTHERN COMFORT.

A/C appears taxiing in after mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEm49EgG1hs

Service

Units

  • 305th Bomb Group Can Do

    305th Bomb Group Can Do

    Group
    The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...

  • 364th Bomb Squadron

    364th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Ray Armstrong

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Ball Turret Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD.

  • Hugh Ashcraft

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Pilot - B-17 41-24617 'Southern Comfort' crash landed; Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. The crew bailed out over Essex. TTG was lost as he slipped out of his parachute. RTD. ...

  • Frank Corser

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Waist Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD.

  • Douglas Glover

    Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Radio Operator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. He stayed in the Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Col. with 30 years service.

  • Stephen Gogolya

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Killed in Action (KIA) on 31-Mar-43 on returning from mission in B-17 41-24617 'Southern Comfort' when the A/C crashed. The crew bailed out over Essex. SSgt Gogolya was lost when he slipped out of his parachute. Awards: DFC, PH.

  • Frank Hilsabeck

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Frank was inducted into the USAAC on 8-Jan-42 and entered the war, stationed in Chelveston, England, where he flew out of the base as a tail-gunner on a B-17 Bomber. Having completed his 25 missions in June 1943....

  • William Lakey

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Co-pilot to Hugh Ashcraft.

  • James Moberly

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Navigator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • James Patterson

    Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Waist Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD.

  • Bert Wells

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Navigator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD.

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 48

    31 March 1943
    The shipyards ar Rotterdam, Holland are the primary target. 78 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (19) and 306BG (19). The weather prevents bombing by 91BG and 306BG reducing the total effective on the target to 33 of the 78 despatched....

Places

  • Grafton Underwood

    Military site : airfield
    Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...

Events

Event Location Date
Assigned Grafton Underwood, UK 1943

Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF.
Crashed Beacon Hill, Wickham Bishops, Witham, Essex, UK 31 March 1943

Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31/3/43. Crew baled out over England with TTG slipping out of his harness (KIA) [9 x RTD], pilot eventually brought the ship staggering back to crash land in woods at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Eng.
Salvaged Beacon Hill, Wickham Bishops, Witham, Essex, UK 1 April 1943

Salvaged 1/4/43.
Nicknames
'Southern Comfort'
Production block number
B-17F-27-BO
Manufacturer
Boeing
Markings and paint scheme/livery

Coded WF-J.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
19 May 2022 08:20:16 Al_Skiff Changes to events and unit associations
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log
Date Contributor Update
28 April 2021 19:05:15 jmoore43 Changes to production block number
Sources

Updated the Production block number per info on the internet.
SOURCE: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/production-block/b-17f-27-bo-41-24585-41...
Date Contributor Update
10 November 2020 23:02:53 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.
Date Contributor Update
18 September 2017 18:58:22 Al_Skiff Changes to media associations
Sources

Roger Freeman Photo.
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2015 14:30:46 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and mission associations
Sources

AAM DB Entry.
Date Contributor Update
24 November 2015 12:32:31 Lucy May Changes to nicknames, description, events and place associations
Sources

Added details of event from details in Description field.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:03 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

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