42-31036 | American Air Museum

42-31036 Nobody's Baby

Delivered Dallas 7/9/43; Scott 24/10/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 25/10/43, 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood; transferred 614BS/401BG [IW-X] Deenethorpe 8/11/43; Missing in Action Frankfurt 4/2/44 with Frank Zitkovic, Co-pilot: Bascom Clifton, Navigator: Wayne Goodwin, Bombardier: John Wenger, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Sanford Davidson, Radio Operator: Joe Dippel, Ball turret gunner: Chas Howard, Waist gunner: Ray Fritelager, Waist gunner: Jim Nichols,Tail gunner: Max Slotnik (10 Killed in Action); flak, crashed North Sea/Channel, no trace; Missing Air Crew Report 2285. NOBODY'S BABY.

Connections

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Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

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

The insignia of the 614th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group.

614th Bomb Squadron

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

People

Donald M Anderson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-735233
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator; Bombardier

Bascom Orlando Clifton

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-738349
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Sanford B Davidson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Joseph H Dippel

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Raymond M Fritelager

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Places

Bomber crews from the 401st Bomb Group look over P-51 Mustang, FT-T, serial number 43-12172, of the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, at Deenethorpe airfield. One of their B-17 Flying Fortresses is in the background. Printed caption on reverse of print: '...401st Bomb Group look over a North American P-51 Mustang at an 8th Air Force base in England, 27 December 1943.'

Deenethorpe

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Benefield

Aerial photograph of the east end of Molesworth airfield looking north, the control tower and two T2 hangars are right of the vertical runway, 5 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/889. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Molesworth

Site type: Airfield

Missions

8th Air Force 208

Date: 4 February 1944

8th Air Force 200

Date: 30 January 1944

8th Air Force 176

Date: 5 January 1944

8th Air Force 174

Date: 4 January 1944

A B-24 Liberator nicknamed "The Oklahoman", piloted by Lieutenant Mason of the 389th Bomb Group bursts into flame during a mission, 5 December 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '5/12/43B - 3, 147. 147/RFWD148. 389 BG B-24 struck by flak and destroyed 12/5/43.'

VIII Bomber Command 149

Date: 5 December 1943

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany

4 February 1944

Revisions

Date4 Sep 2021 22:07:50

Contributoracbernstein1

Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31036

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:36

ContributorAAM

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2285 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database