41-29147 Sad Sack
Originally assigned to 44th Bomb Group, 66th Bomb Squadron; transferred to 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron where it was damaged on landing Bungay, England 29 Jan 1944.
Sad Sack was hit by flak on 5 Jan 44 with minor damage.
From Ray Bowden, USAAF Nose Art Research Project:
"On 28 January on a non-combat flight it landed at Bungay and its left main undercarriage collapsed, according to the accident report. Flown on that date by Lt R E Paltz. The B-24 was finally declared as beyond repair on 8 February and listed as salvaged by 446BG at Bungay the following day. The full accident report should be available from the National Archives.
It seems highly likely that “Black Widow” was a replacement for Garber’s crew when they went down on 4 Feb."
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: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-684681
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36721086
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32258282 / O-752481
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39452600
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner / Assistant Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15095550 / O-678230
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Flixton
Revisions
Ray Bowden, USAAF Nose Art Research Project...quote from his response to my email inquiry on fate of Sad Sack, 18 Sept. 2020. This establishes that Sad Sack was not available for the 4 Jan 1944 mission and Black Widow was substituted.
Archival data from B24bestweb and from 446BG website. The accident took place a week before the mission, in which Sad Sack crew shot down (4 Feb44). I am convinced that it was Black Widow which German Ace Waldemar Radener shot down.
Uncertainty on fate of Sad Sack. If it was written off on 29 Jan 44 this may explain why Sad Sack crew were aboard Black Widow when shot down on 4 Feb 44.
Photographic evidence that identifies crew members and aircraft. My uncle, TSGT Francis Asbury Stewart, was navigator, who bailed out over France and was interned at Stalag 9C, Bad Sulza, Saxe-Weimar. I do not know if other crew were POWs at same location because TSGT Stewart had a leg fracture, and this particular camp had a hospital.
B-24 Nose Art Name Directory by Wallace R. Forman via Fort Worth Aviation Museum
B-24 Nose Art Name Directory by Wallace R. Forman via Fort Worth Aviation Museum
www.aviationarchaeology.com via Fort Worth Aviation Museum