8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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42-31333
B-17 Flying Fortress
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"Combat crew of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Wee Willie". England". - B-17G 42-31333 "Wee Willie" (coded LG-W) of the 322nd Bomb Sqn, 91st BG. "Wee Willie" showed up at Bassingbourn just before Christmas, 1943. Mission scoreboard indicates 100 missions, 333 would go onto achieve 129 missions before its loss on 8-Apr-45, only 1 member of the crew escaping from her. Officer kneeling at right of group is Nav 2nd Lt Jess Ziccarello. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A10717-B62808AC.
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A B-17 Flying Fortress (LG-W, serial number 42-31333) nicknamed "Wee Willie" of the 91st Bomb Group suffers a direct flak hit on the left wing. 10 April 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '#4215 "Wee Willie" direct burst of flack on 128th mission.'
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The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 42-31333, 'Wee Willie', is engulfed in flame. The left wing has separated from the fuselage and is crossing over the fuselage. (U.S. Air Force).
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B-17G 42- 31333 'Wee Willie' and crew. 12-Feb-44: 1st Lt Paul D Jessop & crew, 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG, with B-17G 42-31333 "Wee Willie" (coded LG-W). Jessop's crew flew this ship for six straight missions starting New Year's Eve, 1943 to Cognac. On 3 February over Wilhelmshaven "Willie" took some serious flak damage, wounding waist gunner Sgt Henry F Osowski. The ship wouldn't fly again until the 20th, with a trip to Leipzig. Standing L-R: Copilot 1Lt John A Moeller, Nav 2Lt Harry Lerner, Waist S/Sgt Robert Kelley, Ball S/Sgt Martin, Bomb Lt Joe Gagliano, Pilot 1Lt Paul D Jessop. Kneeling L-R: Waist S/Sgt MacElroy, Radio S/Sgt Shoupe, Eng/Gunner S/Sgt Southworth, Tail S/Sgt Joe Zastinchik. NARA Ref 3A10229-3A11481.
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The nose art of B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Wee Willie"of the 91st Bomb Group Handwritten caption on reverse: 'After four missions. H.'
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A B-17 Flying Fortress (LG-W, serial number 42-31333) nicknamed "Wee Willie" of the 322nd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group explodes after suffering a direct flak hit to the left wing. 10 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse of print: '#4217, 6 seconds after 4216. Tail Gunner believed to have survived. H.'
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The left wing of B-17 Flying Fortress (LG-W, serial number 42-31333) nicknamed "Wee Willie" of the 322nd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group falls away after having suffered a direct flak hit. 10 April 1945.
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A B-17 Flying Fortress (LG-W, serial number 42-31333) nicknamed "Wee Willie" of the 91st Bomb Group explodes after suffering a direct flak hit to the left wing. 10 April 1945.
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The left wing of B-17 Flying Fortress (LG-W, serial number 42-31333) nicknamed "Wee Willie" of the 91st Bomb Group falls away after having suffered a direct flak hit. 10 April 1945.
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Gravestone of Woodrow Agder Lien, co-pilot of the "Wee Willie" B-17 that went down over Stendahl, Germany, April 8, 1945. Riverview Cemetery, Brockton, Montana.
Delivered Cheyenne 22/10/43; Gr Island 3/11/43; Memphis 9/11/43; Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-W] Bassingbourn 20/12/43; Missing in Action 129m Stendahl 8/4/45 with 1Lt Robert E Fuller (POW), 2Lt Woodrow A Lien, T/Sgt Francis McCarthy, S/Sgt Richard D Proudfit, S/Sgt Wylie McNatt Jr, S/Sgt Ralph J Leffelman, S/Sgt Willian H Cassidy, S/Sgt James D Houtchens, Sgt Lemoyne Miller (9 Killed in Action); flak hit between fuselage and #2 engine caused massive fire which detached the port wing, exploded in the resulting dive, crashed Stendahl; MACR 13881; (oldest G in group) 1 x POW, 9 x KIA. WEE WILLIE.
Service
Units
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91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla... -
322nd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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William Cassidy
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: AM (2 OLC), PH. -
James Fink
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Flew 35 bombing missions over Germany as an Army Air Forces lieutenant with the 322nd Squadron of the 91st Bombardment Group based in Bassingbourn, England. Those missions included historic raids over Schweinfurt's defense plants and Remagen, the... -
Robert Fuller
Military | First Lieutenant | Bomber pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, blown out of the plane when it exploded and was the only crew member to survive. 8-Apr-45. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 13881... -
James Houtchens
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: AM (3 OLC), PH. -
Ralph Leffelman
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: AM (2 OLC), PH. -
Woodrow Lien
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. ... -
Francis McCarthy
Military | Technical Sergeant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: AM (3 OLC), PH. -
Wylie McNatt
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: PH. -
LeMoyne Miller
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Stendahl, Germany in B-17G 'Wee Willie' 42-31333, killed in explosion or crash Nr Stendahl 8-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13881. Awards: AM (OLC), PH. -
Arlon Nessa
Military | Aircraft Mechanic | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Arlon was a crew chief and had three other mechanics assigned to him, responsible for maintenance of one B-17 bomber. While armorers, radio specialists and sheet metal workers performed specific functions on aircraft, Arlon and his crew were...
Missions
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8th Air Force 932
8 April 1945
Places
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Bassingbourn
Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long... -
United Airlines Modification Center
Other location
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Burbank, CA, USA | 1943 |
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Built at Boeing. |
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| Delivered | Cheyenne, WY, USA | 22 October 1943 |
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Delivered to USAAF. |
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| Assigned | Bassingbourn, Royston SG8, UK | 20 December 1943 |
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Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | Stendahl, 21629 Neu Wulmstorf, Germany | 8 April 1945 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Stendahl, flak hit between fuselage and #2 engine caused massive fire which detached the port wing, exploded in the resulting dive, crashed Stendahl. 1 POW, 9 KIA MACR 13881. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 13 July 2021 19:38:34 | acbernstein1 | Changes to markings |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2017 14:24:35 | Al_Skiff | Changes to media associations |
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Roger Freeman Photo. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 January 2017 16:27:48 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and mission associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:37 | AAM | AAM ingest |
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Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 13881 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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