42-29983 Gloria Ann aka Iris aka Uncle Sammy
Crew of 1st Lt. Atkinson, Challen P. , 381BG 533BS.
Crashed on August 17, 1943 after raid to Schweinfurt and Flak damage nearby Adenau (Germany).
Nose Art Collection by Steinweden, Joakim (Germany)
Delivered Cheyenne 20-Mar-43; Dyersburg 31-Mar-43; Presque Isle 10-Apr-43; Dow Field, Bangor, Maine 12-Apr-43; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX-K] Grafton Underwood 24/4/43 GLORIA ANN; Andrews Field 13-May-43; Snetterton 12-Jun-43; transferred 533BS/381BG [VP-X] Ridgewell 17-Jun-43.
Missing in Action 6m Schweinfurt 17-Aug-43 Damaged by flak and abandonded over Kesseling, Germany, five miles SW of Ahrweiler, Germany. The entire crew baled out but two crewmen were found dead in dense woods entangled in trees. Record is not clear if they were killed because they landed in the trees or were shot by the German Army or civilians. Missing Air Crew Report 398 - 2 KIA 8 POW. Named IRIS originally with 381BG for the girlfriend of the pilot, but the pair broke their relationship and the pilot renamed the aircraft UNCLE SAMMY.
P 1LT Challen P. Atkinson (KIA); CP 2LT Murray E. Dulberger (POW)
N 2LT Fred Freiberger (POW); B 2LT Julian M. Marks (POW)
E/TTG TSGT Richard J. Hanna (POW); RO TSGT Stanley C. Kasha (POW)
BTG SSGT James C. McGoldrick (KIA); RWG SSGT Peter A. Katsarelis (POW)
LWG SSGT Herbert A. Goss (POW); TG SSGT John Hyk (POW)
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13028834
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33268763
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33225601
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-734954
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33250042
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Places
Missions
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Strato Sam (Toughest Crew That Ever Flew)
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Damfino
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Widget, Chug-A-Lug Lulu
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
17 August 1943 |
Revisions
Added "aka" in the A/C "Nicknames" field as a Separator to aid readability.
Added some Punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid readability.
Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added nicknames and coding; Made connections to Units, Places and Missions; Edited Description with loss details and "Uncle Sammy" nickname and converted dates to USAAF military-style signification; Added crew position, rank, full proper name and disposition of crew members, Formatted crew display. Sources: "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story", Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne; "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey; National Archives Records Administration (NARA) MACR 398; American Battlee Monuments Commission (ABMC) records.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 398 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database