41-24561 The Duchess, Sure Stuff

Ground crew work of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Duchess". Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Famous Fortresses. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Ground crewmen at work on the Fortress "Duchess", which has already been on 50 missions over enemy territory. They are (left to right, lower): Sgt. Clyde L. Dewald, of 200 E Union St., Schnykill Haven, Penn.; and Sgt. James C. Hicks, of Rowtob, Henderson, K.Y.; (Upper) Cpl. Charles media-407587.jpg FRE 4205 Ground crew work of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Duchess". Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Famous Fortresses. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Ground crewmen at work on the Fortress "Duchess", which has already been on 50 missions over enemy territory. They are (left to right, lower): Sgt. Clyde L. Dewald, of 200 E Union St., Schnykill Haven, Penn.; and Sgt. James C. Hicks, of Rowtob, Henderson, K.Y.; (Upper) Cpl. Charles H. Stoner, of 710 Clark Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4205 - Ground crew work of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Duchess". Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944....

Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-T] Bangor 10/9/42; Molesworth 16/10/42; 59m transferred 1 Base Air Depot (sic),* Burtonwood 7/7/44; Returned to the USA Altus 18/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 14/8/45. Over Vegasack 18/3/43 with Capt Harry Stouse, Navigator: Jesse Elliott, brought damaged ship home with severely wounded Jack Mathis-b (awarded posthumous MOH). SURE STUFF aka THE DUCHESS.

* Air Base Depot (BAD1)

Connections

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Units served with

People

Lieutenant Reeder and his crew, of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress, nicknamed "The Duchess". Printed caption on reverse of print: '61772 AC - Lt. Reeder and crew of the 359th Bomb. Sqd., 303rd Bomb. Group besides a Boeing B-17 "The Duchess", England, 17 July 1943. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Henry William Herod

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39528163
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Engineer
Ground crew work of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Duchess". Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Famous Fortresses. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Ground crewmen at work on the Fortress "Duchess", which has already been on 50 missions over enemy territory. They are (left to right, lower): Sgt. Clyde L. Dewald, of 200 E Union St., Schnykill Haven, Penn.; and Sgt. James C. Hicks, of Rowtob, Henderson, K.Y.; (Upper) Cpl. Charles

James Coleman Hicks

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15084559
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ground crew
Lieutenant Reeder and his crew, of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress, nicknamed "The Duchess". Printed caption on reverse of print: '61772 AC - Lt. Reeder and crew of the 359th Bomb. Sqd., 303rd Bomb. Group besides a Boeing B-17 "The Duchess", England, 17 July 1943. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Kenneth Wayne Hull

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17088830
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Jack Warren Mathis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-727110
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
Lieutenant Reeder and his crew, of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress, nicknamed "The Duchess". Printed caption on reverse of print: '61772 AC - Lt. Reeder and crew of the 359th Bomb. Sqd., 303rd Bomb. Group besides a Boeing B-17 "The Duchess", England, 17 July 1943. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Ralph C McClean

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-677416
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Sustained heavy damage

U-Boat Pens, Vegesack-Bremen, Germany 18 March 1943 Duchess would sustain heavy damage, mostly ending her career, in the same action that Lt Jack Mathis would earn his MoH.

Delivered

BAD 1 7 July 1944 Moved to BAD 1* Burtonwood Airfield Base Air Depot

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

Date
ContributorCastleBren
Changes
Sources

303rd Bomb Group

Date
ContributorCastleBren
Changes
Sources

303rd Bomb Group records

Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

Correction to designation/ acronym.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Roger Freeman photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Roger Freeman photo.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

41-24561: Gallery (8 items)