41-24470 Sons of Fury
https://b17flyingfortress.de en/b17/41-24470-sonsoffury
Object Number - UPL 36725 - B-17F, 41-244170, Sons of Fury, nose art.
B-17F - #41-24470, Sons Of Fury, was assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 306th Bomb Group, and the 369th Bomb Squadron - Westover, FD. 22 Aug 42. The aircraft was damaged in taxi accident, Westover FD, 26 Aug 42. Thurleigh 2 Oct 42. Missing in Action, St Nazaire. Severely hit by enemy aircraft. Ditched into the English Channel off Brest Peninsula. 3 Jan 43. 10 KIA, MACR 16427. B-17 #41-24470 / Sons of Fury Details: The damaged aircraft made a perfect water landing off the coast of the Brest peninsula. Enemy fighters attacked the helpless crew in the water. As the Fortress sank in the sea TSgt. Arizona Harris – manning the top turret – continued to fire at the attacking fighters to save his crew. His twin guns were firing as the waves closed over the top of the turret. All ten crewmen perished. Arizona Harris received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. Below is a transcription from the MACR 16427 Arizona T. Harris, Technical Sergeant, Army Air Forces, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy of the United States. While on a combat mission over enemy occupied Continental Europe, January 3, 1943, the airplane on which he was serving as top-turret gunner was badly damaged by enemy anti-aircraft fire and forced out of formation. A large force of enemy fighter planes then concentrated their attacks on this lone airplane, finally driving it to a crash landing in the sea. Throughout the descent, and as the airplane disappeared beneath the waves, Sergeant Harris was seen to be still firing his guns at the enemy airplanes. B-17F - #41-24470 - Sons of Fury Crew: P 1LT Charles W. B. Cranmer KIA
The tailgunner, Sgt. P. D. Small, from another B-17 witnessed the events:
Position Rank Name Status Notes
CP 2LT Albert Brunsting KIA
NAV 1LT Paul E. Byer KIA
BOMB 1LT John G. Reed KIA
ENG/TT T/SG Arizona T. Harris KIA Posthumous DSC
RO T/SG Kermit J. Constantine KIA
BT S/SGT William Musick KIA
WG SGT Robert Ransom KIA
WG SGT Charles S. Wall, Jr. KIA
TG SGT Edgar G. Whittaker KIA
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-726189
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20318675 at enlistment, then O-724014
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20460324
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-430570
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6296272
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Missions
- Date: 3 January 1943
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) |
English Channel | 3 January 1943 | Attacked by German fighters over the English Channel upon return leg from bombing at St. Nazaire, France. Mission report states that aircraft was hit by flak over the target, with #3 engine out. Landed on the water 40-45 miles off the coast and was machine gunned by enemy aircraft. The Top Turret Gunner, TSgt Arizona T. Harris, continued firing his guns at the attackers until the aircraft sank beneath the waves. He received (posthumously) the Distinguished Service Cross for his gallant action. |
Revisions
Added Some Punctuation in the A/C "biography" to aid readability.
Corrected a typo in the A/C "Description" - "transcription" was misspelled.
"B-17 Master Log" - Sons Of Fury - Dave Osbourne
Lee Cunningham 14-Jan-2015. Added markings per "The Mighty Eighth Warpaint & Heraldry" Roger A. Freeman; Added nickname and made connections to Squadron, Place and Mission within existing website data; FTR event per MACR 16427 and 306BG Mission Report; Edited description, converted dates to military-style signification, added crew position, rank, full proper name and dispositions of crew members per MACR 16427 and formatted crew display.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 16427 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
