42-30036 | American Air Museum

42-30036

Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 2/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 546BS/384BG Grafton Underwood 1/6/43.

Involved in mid air collision with 42-30131 which chewed off ‘036 tailplane over base during training operation 12/6/43, with Elwood Kowalski, Co-pilot: Jack Griffin, Navigator: Sam Eggers, Bombardier: Leo Murphy, pass-Sgt Jean Blaise (5 Killed in Service).

Salvaged 12/6/43.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'

546th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Jean LeRoy Blaise

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 36244473
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator/Gunner

Samuel Andrew Eggers

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-794787
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Jack L Griffin

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: T-000096
Highest Rank: Flight Officer
Role/Job: Co-Pilot/ Pilot

Ellwood David Kowalski

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-793416
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Leo Ambrose Murphy

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-734727
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Aerial photograph of Grafton Underwood airfield looking north east, Geddington village is on the left, 22 April 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC309. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Aircraft

42-30131

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: No 1 Combat Crew Replacement Center 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date18 May 2023 01:40:53

Contributoracbernstein1

Changes

Sources

https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?Aircraf…

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:26

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

AAIR 43-06-12-502 / Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database