42-30207 Big Red
Object Number - FRE 1481 - A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse:...
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War); Navigator: John Carroll, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Herman Hermanson (2 evaded capture); Radio Operator: Blair Harman, Ball turret gunner: Lou Mizera, Waist gunner: George Schwarzkopf, Waist gunner: Joe Kapec,Tail gunner: George Hewett (5 Killed in Action); flare set off fire in radio room, circled & crashed La Gombretiere, Aizenay, nine miles NW of La Roche-sur-Yon, 17 miles S of Nantes, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 3540. BIG RED.
Connections
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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: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-793713
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-795297
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-733513
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Bombardier/Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19176865
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Other
- Known as: Cheyenne Modification Center
Missions
- Date: 27 March 1944
- Date: 26 March 1944
- Date: 23 March 1944
- Date: 16 March 1944
- Date: 8 February 1944
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Delivered |
Cheyenne, WY, USA | 29 April 1943 | |
|
Assigned |
Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 14 June 1943 | 388 BG 561 BS |
|
Other First 388th BG Combat Mission |
Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17 July 1943 | Originally assigned to the R.H. Bailey Crew |
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
La Gombretière, 85190 Aizenay, France | 27 March 1944 | Flares set off fire in radio room during mission 33 combat missions completed plus 7 aborts |
Revisions
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3540 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database