41-24607 Jerry Jinx & What's Up Doc?

Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'. media-407598.jpg FRE 4215 Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4215 - Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'.

B-17F 41-24607 [GN-W] "Jerry JinX" was assigned 427BS/303BG at Bangor 24-Sep-42; Molesworth 25-Oct-42; Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft sustained damage from AA fire over the target and was ditched into the sea near Lorient, France. Was also named "What's Up Doc" at one time. 10KIA MACR 15473.

MISSIONS - See Biography events for crew information on each mission.
22-Nov-42 Mission #1 - U-Boat pens at Lorient, France.
6-Dec-42 Mission #2 - Carriage & wagon works at Lille, France
12-Dec-42 Mission #3 - Railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France
20-Dec-42 Mission #4 - German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France - Aborted
13-Jan-43 Mission #5 - Lille Fives Locomotive Works, Lille, France
23-Jan-43 Mission #6 - LAST OPERATION - U-Boat pens at Lorient, France.
 

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Staff Sergeant Antoni Bednarchuk, a tail gunner of the 303rd Bomb Group, holds the group's mascot by the tail guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp]. 'Passed for Publication 19 April 1943.' [stamp], 'Not to be Published before 20 April 1943.' [printed note] and '257534.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Former bus driver at Providence, R.I. S/Sgt (Gunner) Antoni Bednarchuk,aged 27 has now taken 8 trips by air against the Germans. He has

Antonio Bednarchuk

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11043689
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer

Irwin Dane Blankenship

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39006503
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner

Jarold J Byrom

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O726995
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Luther M Gross

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14072775
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Duke L Hamilton

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6274614
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Mission #1, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (RTD); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (RTD) N 2LT Jarold J. Byrom (RTD); B 2LT Robert J. Swindle (RTD) E/TTG SSGT Duke L. Hamilton, Jr. (RTD); RO SSGT Donald A. Mayo (RTD) BTG SGT Victor G. Hand (RTD); LWG SGT Luther N. Gross RWG SGT Irwin D. Blankenship (RTD); TG SSGT A. Bednarchuk (RTD)  

Other

Mission #2, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 6 December 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (RTD); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (RTD) N 2LT Jarold J. Byrom (RTD); B 2LT Robert J. Swindle (RTD) E/TTG SGT Irwin D Blankenship (RTD); RO SSGT Donald A. Mayo (RTD) BTG SGT Victor G. Hand (RTD); LWG SGT Luther N. Gross RWG SGT Bernard Jurosek (RTD); TG SGT Donald H. Rutt (RTD)

Other

Mission #3, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (RTD); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (RTD) N 2LT Jarold J. Byrom (RTD); B 2LT Robert J. Swindle (RTD) E/TTG SSGT Duke L. Hamilton, Jr. (RTD); RO SSGT Donald A. Mayo (RTD) BTG SGT Luther N Gross (RTD); LWG SGT Roger W. Milford RWG SGT Bernard Jurosek (RTD); TG SGT Irwin D. Blankenship (RTD)

Other

Mission #4, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (RTD); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (RTD) N 2LT Jarold J. Byrom (RTD); B 2LT Ewell R. McCright (RTD) E/TTG SSGT Duke L. Hamilton, Jr. (RTD); RO SSGT Donald A. Mayo (RTD) BTG SGT Irwin D. Blankenship (RTD); LWG SGT Luther N. Gross RWG SGT Victor G. Hand (RTD); TG SGT Bernard Jurosek (RTD)

Other

Mission #5, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (RTD); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (RTD) N 2LT Jarold J. Byrom (RTD); B 2LT Robert J. Swindle (RTD) E/TTG SSGT Duke L. Hamilton, Jr. (RTD); RO SSGT Donald A. Mayo (RTD) BTG SGT Victor G. Hand (RTD); LWG SGT Bernard Jurosek RWG SGT Irwin D. Blankenship (RTD); TG SGT Luther N. Gross (RTD)

Other

Mission #6, B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 CREW B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. P 1LT Ehle H. Reber (KIA); CP 2LT Allan D. Mitchell (KIA) N 1LT, Jarold J. Byrom (KIA); B 2LT Robert J. Swindle (KIA) E/TTG SSGT Duke L. Hamilton (KIA); RO SGT Irwin D. Blankenship (KIA) BTG SSGT Donald A. Mayo (KIA); LWG Sgt Luther M. Gross (KIA) RWG SGT Victor G. Hand (KIA); TG Sgt Roger W. Milford (KIA) NOTE: Crew order as listed on MACR 15473 is not in the usual order because the MACR was prepared after the war. Crew positions listed under Mission #7 event were confirmed with the crew roster as defined by the 303rd Bomb Group historian Gary Moncur.

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Shot down by AA fire and ditched into the Bay of Biscay near the target of Lorient, France.

Revisions

Date1 Feb 2023 05:36:01
ContributorSteve Birdsall
Changes
Sources

41-24607 was only named "Jerry Jinx" - "What's Up, Doc?" was part of the Bugs Bunny motif common to early 427th Bomb Squadron aircraft.

Date1 Feb 2023 05:33:03
ContributorSteve Birdsall
Changes
Sources

41-24507 was only named "Jerry Jinx" . . . "What's Up Doc?" was just part of the Bugs Bunny motif common to early 427th Bomb Squadron B-17s.

Date19 Sep 2017 13:48:33
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to media associations
Sources

Roger Freeman Photo.

Date21 Jan 2016 00:56:59
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:51:00
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:44:56
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:39:03
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:28:55
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to description and events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:21:26
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date21 Jan 2016 00:10:26
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to description and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jan-2016. Added mission history to Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report data: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date21 Jan 2015 18:57:54
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added nickname from original data ingest; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Added FTR description , target and loss details in Description per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Added crew position, rank, full proper name and dispositions per 303rd Bomb Group crew roster Gary Moncur, historian, also reference MACR 15373; formatted crew display.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:03
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15473 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

41-24607: Gallery (6 items)