41-28711 - Little Sheppard
Standing L-R : SSgt. Raymond G. Giwojna - Tail Gunner - SSgt. Benjamin Z. Means - Waist Gunner/ Second Armorer - SSgt. Norbert (Mike) Duginske - Waist Gunner Second Engineer - SSgt. Gerald E. Carroll - Top Turret Gunner - First Engineer - SSgt. Kenneth L. Dyer - Radio Operator - SSgt. Bill J. McCullah - Ball Turret Gunner - First Armorer -
Kneeling L-R : 2nd Lt. Alfred E. Cannon - Navigator - 2nd Lt. John J. Schneider - Copilot - 2nd Lt. Paul R. Helander - Pilot - 2nd Lt. Henry M. Snyder - Bombardier.
Best Web - B-24 - 41-28711 - Little Sheppard
B-24H (41-28711) "LITTLE SHEPPARD" was originally assigned to the 458th Bomb Group, 755th Bomb Squadron and was already named when it was reassigned to the 448th Bomb Group, 712th Bomb Squadron in January 1944. On 21 Apr 1944, Crew 1 was flying "LITTLE SHEPPARD" on a mission to Brux, Czechoslovakia when it stalled and went into a spin over the English Channel caused by an ice buildup .The order was given to bail out but only the Navigator 2nd Lt. Seymour Ausfresser bailed out. The pilot was able to regain control before it crashed and returned to base with all the other crew members. Seymour Ausfresser was never found. He was later listed as killed in action (KIA). His name is on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England.
"LITTLE SHEPPARD" was assigned to Crew 11 in Feb 1944, after their first aircraft "BOOMERANG" (42-52132) crashed near Tibenham Airfield, England on 10 Feb 1944. Crew 11, along with other crews, flew "LITTLE SHEPPARD" until early Jun 1944 when most of Crew 11 completed their required 30 missions.
On 21 Jul 1944, a Replacement Crew was flying "LITTLE SHEPPARD" on a mission to Allach, Germany near Munich when it failed to return (FTR). Damaged by flak and enemy fighters, the aircraft landed in Dubendorf, Switzerland. All crew members survived and were interned. MACR's 4343 - 7251.
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36261526
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator, Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 2nd Bomb Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-804331
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36261526
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radioman
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35661741
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Places
Missions
- Date: 8 April 1944
- Date: 24 March 1944
- Date: 22 March 1944
- Date: 8 March 1944
- Date: 5 March 1944
Aircraft
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Stall / Spin / Recovered |
English Channel | 21 April 1944 | Stall/spin loss of control (LOC) with ice build up over English Channel. Pilot regained control. The Navigator bailed out before pilot regained control, and aircraft returned to base (RTB). Navigator was listed as Killed in Action. 1 KIA. 21 Apr 44. |
Other Combat damaged - INT |
Dübendorf, Switzerland | 21 July 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) from a mission to Allach, Germany. Damaged by flak and enemy fighters. Landed in Dubendorf, Switzerland, and was interned (INT). 21 Jul 44. 10 INT. MACR 4343 - 7251. |
Manufactured Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) |
Tulsa, OK, USA | Built at Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, Oklahoma. | |
Other Assigned |
Seething, Norwich NR15, UK | 21 July 1944 | Assigned to 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force (USAAF). |
Revisions
Removed all image associations which do not depict the aircraft.
Updated Associated Media to include photo of John Schneider-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020.
Added missing crew members to 'Little Sheppard'-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020.
Updated black & white photo of 'Little Sheppard' crew-Dan McCullough 07-11-2020.
MACR 7251 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database