42-31115 Hells Belles

Delivered Cheyenne 21/9/43; Gr Island 6/10/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 25/10/43; Missing in Action Brunswick 10/2/44 with Jim Feeney - not found till 25/2/44, Radio Operator: Norman Kajut, Waist gunner: Marion Forbis, Tail gunner: Lou LeFevre (4 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Sam Gundy, Navigator: Sam Simon, Bombardier: John Drickson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Ball, Ball turret gunner: Walt Lennons, Waist gunner: Joe Smith, foto-Oscar Land (7 Prisoner of War); flak, on return crashed Hoogendijk, near Uitgeest, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 2348. HELL'S BELLS.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.

388th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 447th Bomb Group.

447th Bomb Group

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

People

Charles W Ball

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

John Carpenter Dirickson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-670035
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sandra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball, Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin, New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis, Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza, Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis, Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Fran

Willis E Eddy

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-674166
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator/Squadron Navigator

James R Feeney

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Louis M Le Fevre

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Delivered

Cheyenne, WY, USA 21 September 1943

Assigned

Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK 25 October 1943 388 BG 562 BS

Other

First 388th BG Combat Mission

Bremen, Germany 26 November 1943

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Hoogendijk, Netherlands 10 February 1944 Damaged by flak. Crashed

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=42-31115&da…
B-17 Flying Fortress Story - Roger Freeman
page 155

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1769 / MACR 2348 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database