42-3435 | American Air Museum

42-3435

Delivered Denver 12/6/43; Dow Fd 20/7/43; Assigned 366BS/305BG [KY-F] Chelveston 26/7/43; transferred 327BS/92BG Alconbury 12/8/42; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 17/8/43 with Capt Roland Sargent, Co-pilot: Keith Byington, Navigator: Capt Bob McNeely, Bombardier: George Mikel, Radio Operator: Chas Sailer, Ball turret gunner: John Whitley, Waist gunner: Nathan Schwartz Waist gunner: Harry Richards, Tail gunner: Ken Fahncke (9 Prisoner of War), Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Berry (evaded capture); enemy aircraft, crashed St Huibrechts-Hern, near Kuttekoven, Bel. Missing Air Crew Report 654.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group.

327th Bomb Squadron

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

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.

92nd Bomb Group

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

People

James L Berry

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Keith E Byington

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Kenneth F Fahncke

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 15329254
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Robert Thurston McNeely

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Major
Role/Job: Navigator

George L Mikel

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Bombardier; Togglier

Places

Aerial photograph of Alconbury airfield, looking east. The technical site is at the top, the bomb dump is on the left, 9 May 1944. Photograph taken by 13th Photographic Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group USAAF, sortie number US/7GR/LOC334. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

Alconbury

Site type: Airfield

Ground crews of 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses wait for their aircraft to return to Chelveston airbase after a raid on the 30 June 1943; a B-17 Flying Fortress is coming in to land. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresse

Chelveston

Site type: Airfield

Missions

Regensburg, after being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 385th Bomb Group, 17 August 1943. Official caption on image: "(O-5-1-385)(17-8-43)(30171-6 3/8 - 24,000)(Regensberg)." Passed for publication 6 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '#44: View of the target.' Censor no: 282458. On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].

VIII Bomber Command 84

Date: 17 August 1943
Official Description:

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany

17 August 1943

Revisions

Date24 Jan 2020 03:38:42

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:43

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 654 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database