42-31345 Lady Stardust II

media-21578.jpeg UPL 21578 Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to right: F/O Harold Eastman Jr (Co-Pilot); SSgt Merl D. Orcutt (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner); SSgt Sam N. Fain (Ball Turret Gunner); 2nd Lt Milan Marecek (Pilot); 2nd Lt Cornelius A. Kohlman (Bombardier). This photo was taken on 11 May 1944. The next day SSgt Orcutt was KIA over Brux, Czechosolvakia. M.D. Eastman

MSgt Merle D. Eastman, USAF, (Ret'd) eldest son of Harold Eastman Jr

Object Number - UPL 21578 - Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to right: F/O Harold Eastman Jr (Co-Pilot); SSgt Merl D. Orcutt (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner);...

Delivered Cheyenne 23/10/43; Walla Walla 6/11/43; Assigned 100 Thorpe Abbotts 7/1/44; transferred 728BS/452BG Deopham Green 8/1/44 KICKAPOO JOY JUICE; Missing in Action Brux 12/5/44 with Milan Mareck, Co-pilot: Harold Eastman Jr, Navigator: Larry Defeo, Bombardier: Cornelius Kohlman, Radio Operator: Dwight Miller, Ball turret gunner: Sam Fain, Waist gunner: Don Kemman, Waist gunner: Ernie Hughingson,Tail gunner: George Bouckek (9 Returned to Duty); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Merl Orcutt (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KOd two engines, ditched Thames Estuary, about a mile W of Knockfortjohn, Kent, UK, crew picked up by ASR, but ettg went down with the ship; Missing Air Crew Report 5021. LADY STARDUST II.

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12194447
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 757880
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW)

Thames Estuary 12 May 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorMerle D. Eastman
Changes
Sources

MSgt Merle D. Eastman, eldest son of co-pilot Harold Eastman Jr.

Date
ContributorMerle D. Eastman
Changes
Sources

MSgt Merle D. Eastman, eldest son of Harold Eastman Jr.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 5021 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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