42-31087 Heaven Can Wait, Boche Buster

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

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12096330
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball turret gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12051053 / O-?
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18082862 / O-49551
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot

Places

Missions

  • Date: 26 September 1944
  • Date: 25 September 1944
  • Date: 22 September 1944
  • Date: 19 September 1944
  • Date: 13 September 1944
  • Official Description:

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 7 October 1944

Revisions

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Contributoracbernstein1
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Contributoracbernstein1
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Contributoracbernstein1
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Contributoracbernstein1
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Contributoracbernstein1
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Contributorjmoore43
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Sources

Added a unit connection to the 8th AF.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Added 2 spaces in the A/C “Description” for clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Added the nicknames mentioned in the A/C “Description”.

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ContributorAAM
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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)