42-51110 Top O The Mark

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: ' media-395537.jpg FRE 6717 A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: 'Crew 22, 458th Bomb Gp. 754th Squadron, Horsham Jan 1945.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 6717 - A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left...

Crash-landed 29 June 1944 at Horsham St Faith on return from Aschersleben mission after being hit by Anti-aircraft fire and set ablaze. The order to bail out was given, but before the fire was extinguished, two airmen bailed out due to failure of intercom. One was taken Prisoner of War while the other was killed.



The aircraft was returned to the United States in 1945.

Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.'

458th Bomb Group

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

People

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '

William Alfred Duke

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-825602
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
RM Eselgroth of the 458th Bomb Group in flight gear, with a B-24 Liberator. Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: 'RM Eselgroth in flight gear, Horsham Jan 1945.'

Richard M Eselgroth

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-132898
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Charles S Evans

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-664988
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Francis Thomas Eyre

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Milton M Feldman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

29 June 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

https://458bg.com/group-aircraft/top-o-the-mark/

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

https://458bg.com/group-aircraft/top-o-the-mark/

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

https://458bg.com/group-aircraft/top-o-the-mark/

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Sources

https://458bg.com/group-aircraft/top-o-the-mark/

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com/topothemark-v1-1.htm

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

B-24 Best Web

Information and photos uploaded by Thomas Knowles, son of Albert Knowles

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 7085 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-51110: Gallery (4 items)

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '

Object number: FRE 6710 - A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B...

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '

Object number: FRE 6717 - A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B...

Object number: UPL 41641 - Nose art by Albert Knowles 458 BG. A bomber crew...

Object number: UPL 57374 - Grice crew with B-24 42-51110 'Top O the Mark'...