41-24635 | American Air Museum

41-24635 The 8 Ball MK II

media-19299.png UPL 19299 The crew of 41-24635 on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium.

Left to Right:
S/Sgt Willam C. Mulgrew, Ball Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Richard C. Fortunak, Left Waist Gunner;
T/Sgt Roman R. Zaorski, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Murel A. Murphy, Right Waist Gunner;
Captain Robert J. Yonkman, Bombardier;
Lt. Colonel William A. Hatcher, Co-Pilot (CO of the 351st Bomb Group);
Captain William R. Calhoun, Pilot;
1st Lt Joseph M. Strickland, Navigator;
T/Sgt Charles R. Terry, Radio Operator;
S/Sg Willard W. Stephen, Tail Gunner;
Captain Clark Gable, Top Gunner.

(Official USAAF photo)

Added photo

Object Number - UPL 19299 - The crew of 41-24635 on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium. Left to Right: S/Sgt...

Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-O] New Castle 6/10/42; Molesworth 21/11/42. Flown by Captain William R. Calhoun on the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors works, Antwerp, Belgium, with Clark Gable on board for his first mission (slightly damaged by 20mm cannon shells by German fighters, returned safely back to England). 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 7/4/44; Returned to the USA Patterson 6 July 1944. Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Albuquerque, New Mexico 2 August 1945.

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Units served with

People

Richard C Fortunak

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 35172061
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner / Tail Gunner

Hollywood actor Clark Gable in the waist gun position of a a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group. Passed for publication 6 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable Serves In England: Clark Gable has slipped into this country as Capt. Gable and is serving with the U.S. Army Air Force somewhere in England, as a Gunnery Instructor. He hopes that his movements will not be accompanied by the publicity that he had a while ago, because he wants to get down to the job as others are doing. Keysto

William Clark Gable

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 508th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 19125741 at enlistment, then O-565390
Highest Rank: Major
Role/Job: Cameraman, Gunner, Actor

Warren H Gerow

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12018045
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Colonel Hatcher of the 351st Bomb Group with comedian Bob Hope, Hollywood actor Clark Gable and guests. Handwritten caption on reverse: '7. Col. Hatcher and guests during Bob Hope show.'

William Albert Hatcher

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron 509th Bomb Squadron 510th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-021528
Highest Rank: Colonel
Role/Job: Co-Pilot; Pilot; Group Commanding Officer