42-102632 Due Back
Back Row - (L - R) James P Doster (Co-Pilot)- Larry J Moore (Bombadier) - Hugh Bowers (Pilot) - George A Pasvanis (Navigator)
Front Row -(L - R) William Purcell - Edward Noga - [Verne Hiskey *] - George Miller - Edward Bennett - Nathan Stark
[ * = B-17 Crews were reduced from 10 to 9 men and S/SGT Hiskey was not on the final mission with this crew]
noelark - picture provided by pilotson
Object Number - UPL 16695 - Bowers Crew - Due Back Back Row - (L - R) James P Doster (Co-Pilot)- Larry J Moore (Bombadier) - Hugh Bowers (Pilot) - George A Pasvanis...
Delivered Cheyenne 19/3/44; Hunter 1/4/44; Dow Fd 18/4/44; Assigned 708BS/447BG [CQ-B] Rattlesden 22/4/44; Missing in Action Ausum A/Fd, Ger 27/8/44 with Hugh Bowers, Co-pilot: Jim Doster, Navigator: George Pasvanis, Bombardier: Leonard Moore, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: George Miller, Radio Operator: Bill Purcell, Ball turret gunner: Ed Noga, Waist gunner: Nathan Stark, Tail gunner: Ed Bennett (9 KIA -bodies washed up later); flak, crashed off Sylt, Ger.; Missing Air Crew Report 8458. DUE BACK.
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: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31219826
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35652655
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Memorial
- Known as: Rattlesden Control Tower
- Site type: Memorial
Missions
- Date: 27 August 1944
- Date: 16 August 1944
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Due Back
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) |
27 August 1944 | Due Back was part of a mission (583) to Attack Berlin but RTB due to WX. On return - Crew attempted to attack Husum Airfield in NW Germany near the coast of the North Sea and Danish Border (Airfield is incorrectly ID'd as Ausum in MACR 8458). Lt. Hugh Bowers' Crew were all lost (KIA). Conflicting reports of loss due to Flak (from MACR) and a Collision from a post mission report which Mentions Lt. Bowers on his 35th mission (Damn it) may have collided with a B-24 and crashed into the Sea. All bodies were later recovered on the German Island of Sylt on the Danish/German Coast of the North Sea. God rest the souls of these brave men! |
Revisions
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.
Timothy Motz; from mission list kept by Harold Motz, compared with Doyle Shields, "History of the 447th Bomb Group"
The crew of the Due Back 42-102632 was possibly on their 25th mission (not 35th). The mission target was Berlin.
Source: Picture of aircraft and crew, Christopher Bowers (son of pilot)
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 8458 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
