B-17G-15-BO #42-31369 "Round Tripper" Code: IW-K 401st BG - 614th BS Deenethorpe

401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 19, 3 Feb 1944, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Over 1,100 fighters and bombers participated in the attack on the great port and fighter base at Wilhelmshaven. The 401st emerged unscathed, and the results of bombing were good. This was the first Group lead for "Hi Ho" Silver, who later became Deputy Commanding Officer of the 401st. All aircraft down safely by 1540 hours.

401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 21, 5 Feb 1944, Chateauroux, France. The results of bombing Chateauroux Airfield were excellent. Pictures of 401st bombs striking the target appeared in Stars and Stripes and in London newspapers. They showed the target completely demolished. One aircraft, "Nasty Habit", was landed safely on three engines by its co-pilot, Lt. George Hellmuth, and engineer, Sgt. James Bailey, both of whom were wounded, after the pilot, Lt. Harry Piper, was severely wounded. Hellmuth and Bailey both passed out after landing the aircraft. Upon return all aircraft were accounted for by 1439 hours--23 at Deenthorpe, one at Gravesend with three wounded, and one at Abingdon with one dead (Sgt. Fatcia) and two seriously wounded (Sgts. Minor and Moneybaker).

401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 23, 11 Feb 1944, Frankfurt, Germany. Captain Donald McCree led the Group to Frankfurt, the site of important aircraft and manufacturing plants. He reported a very successful mission, stating: "We could see the target area, and our bombs smacked right into it. The fighter support was superb." One aircraft (#026) landed at 1111 hours after being shot up by one of our own B-17's, running off the runway with a flat tire and all rudder controls gone. All other operational aircraft were back by 1555 hours.

401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 24, 20 Feb 1944, Leipzig, Germany. All 41 aircraft were airborne by 0955, constituting two complete boxes of 18 aircraft each plus spares. All but two operational aircraft had returned by 0730 hours, one of which was later reported to have landed at Raydon. Colonel Bowman led the 1st Bomb Division in an operation to Leipzig, where the 8th Air Force struck the greatest blow yet to German aircraft production. For this achievement, the 401st received messages of commendation from Generals Doolittle and Williams. Lt. (later Major) Alvah Chapman, with Capt. Silver, Deputy Group Commander, in the co-pilot's seat, brought his aircraft, "Battlin Betty", back safely, flying across much of Germany at low altitude after having had two engines shot out and suffering major damage to brakes, flaps and fuselage. Lt. Edward T. Gardner, the pilot of Doolittle's Doughboys" (# 42-31518) gave his life for his crew, holding the B-17 steady until the other nine crew members had safely bailed out, by which time it was too late to bail out himself.