42-31087 Heaven Can Wait, Boche Buster

Object Number - UPL 52568 - AC # 42-31087, 'Heaven Can Wait' 'Boche Buster', 401st Bomb Group, 26 June 1944

Delivered Cheyenne 17/9/43; Gt Falls 28/9/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-K] Deenethorpe 26/10/43; Missing in Action Politz 7/10/44 with Tom Hill, Wilbur Schmedel, Theo Block, Junius Chadwick, Jim Mullins, Vic Shewbert, Ed Hellenbeck, Buddy Keith, Omer Richardson (9 INT); flak, force landed Bredakara, Swe; 9 INT; Missing Air Crew Report 9758. HEAVEN CAN WAIT aka BOCHE BUSTER. Left Sweden 13/5/45.

Credited with 73 missions, including 67 successive missions without an abort.
Damaged by flak and force landed in Sweden. Returned from Sweden on 13 May 1945.

Connections

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

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

People

Robert L Andrus

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32583791
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Donald E Awalt

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Theodore Schuyler Block

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-718225
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Junius Whitaker Chadwick

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14102714 / O-771868
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

William E Chapman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Places

Missions

669

  • Date: 7 October 1944

667

  • Date: 6 October 1944

655

  • Date: 30 September 1944

652

  • Date: 28 September 1944

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 7 October 1944

Revisions

Date28 Nov 2021 22:41:54
Contributoracbernstein1
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31087

Date28 Nov 2021 22:41:24
Contributoracbernstein1
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31087

Date7 Sep 2021 21:23:59
Contributoracbernstein1
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31087

Date7 Sep 2021 13:26:59
Contributoracbernstein1
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31087

Date6 Sep 2021 14:50:23
Contributoracbernstein1
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Aircraft/Details.aspx?ID=31087

Date23 Jan 2020 01:10:36
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added a unit connection to the 8th AF.

Date23 Jan 2020 01:08:33
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added 2 spaces in the A/C “Description” for clarity.

Date18 Jan 2020 04:56:14
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added the nicknames mentioned in the A/C “Description”.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:36
ContributorAAM
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 9758 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-31087: Gallery (15 items)

Object number: UPL 52568 - AC # 42-31087, 'Heaven Can Wait' 'Boche Buster'...

Object number: UPL 52618 - AC # 42-31087 ' Heaven Can Wait' 'Boche Buster'...

Object number: UPL 52802 - AC # 42-31087, ' Heaven Can Wait' 612th BS, 401st...