42-5807 Minor Ball
Delivered Long Beach 16/2/43; Walker 27/2/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 337BS/96BG [AW-Q] Thurleigh 17/4/43 RIKKI TIKKI TAVI; transferred 511BS/351BG [DS-T] Polebrook 11/7/43; Missing in Action 10m Frankfurt 4/10/43 with Dan Nauman, Co-pilot: Bill Keister, Navigator: Walter Blair, Bombardier: Mario Suozzo, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Foy Rush, Radio Operator: Bob Martin, Ball turret gunner: Bill Towsley, Waist gunner: Lew Burgess body washed up 19/10/43, Waist gunner: Ralph Robeson, Tail gunner: Willard Hunter (10 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft & flak, crashed mouth of River Scheldt, two miles from Flushing, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 910. MINOR BALL.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-733518
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15323465
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35477483
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-741913
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: PIAAF / Presque Is
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Missions
- Date: 4 October 1943
- Date: 2 October 1943
- Date: 23 September 1943
- Date: 16 September 1943
- Date: 15 September 1943
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Germany | 4 October 1943 |
Revisions
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.
Added the A/C nickname listed in the A/C “Description” section.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 910 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database