42-97797 Full House
Picture from veteran Leo Makelky's collection - Mark Makelky
Object Number - UPL 18010 - The Full House (42-97797)
Delivered Denver 28/2/44; Kearney 18/3/44; Dow Field 7/4/44; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-H] Horham 8/4/44; transferred 336BS, (ET–H); 49m. Missing in Action Brandenburg 16/8/44 with: Bombardier: Angelo Genova, Flak KO’d #3 and part of wing, ship went down and was involved in mid-air collision with 42-37879, crashed Rehmsdorf, NE of Zeitz, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 8175. FULL HOUSE. This aircraft was flown by pilot George J Dancisin and his crew (including Leo Makelky as ball turret gunner) on 29+ combat missions from April until August of 1944. It was lost on 16-Aug-44 while in use by an alternate crew piloted by A E Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. Leo Makelky (ball turret gunner) and Larry Stevens (tail gunner) flew on this aircraft for most of their combat tour of duty - 29 of their 35 missions from April to August of 1944. After this plane's FOS (first operational sortie April 22, 1944) which was flown by a different pilot, it was pretty much assigned to pilot Lt. George Dancisin and his crew. The Dancisin crew was on leave after having flown 34 of their required 35 missions on August 16,1944 when the Full House was being used by a different crew piloted by Lt Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. A direct flak hit to the right wing caused the Full House to collide with another aircraft and both were lost. See MACR 8175 (missing air crew report) The Dancisin crew returned from leave and flew their 35th and final mission on a new B-17G #43-38067 named "Big Chief Illiniwek" by their crew chief. That date was August 25, 1944 and the mission was to Politz.
Pilot :Alan Hannum,
Co-pilot: Ken Loehwing,
Navigator: Gene Cantrell,
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dick Kuna,
Ball turret gunner: Fred Matthews,
Waist gunner: Ned Tillson (6 Killed in Action).
Radio Operator: Bill Purdy,
Waist gunner: John Sharon - wia-335BS,
Tail gunner: Leroy Presley (Prisoner of War).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14132490 / O-698258
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31282677
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12093815 / O-?
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 3rd Air Division 13th Combat Bomb Wing 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (13th Combat Bomb Wing)
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot/Instructor/Evaluator/SquadronCC
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 16 August 1944
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wrinkled Belly Baby
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Crashed Failed to Return (FTR) |
Rehmsdorf, 06729 Elsteraue, Germany | 16 August 1944 - 16 August 1944 | Missing in Action Brandenburg 16/8/44. Flak KO’d #3 and part of wing, ship went down and was involved in mid-air collision with 42-37879, crashed Rehmsdorf, NE of Zeitz, Germany. (4 x POW, 6 x KIA) Missing Air Crew Report MACR8175. |
Revisions
Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
Moved 'Source' information to Biography.
This update comes from information and pictures from my father, Leo Makelky (ball turret gunner) and Larry Stevens (tail gunner) who flew on this aircraft for most of their combat tour of duty - 29 of their 35 missions from April to August of 1944. After this plane's FOS (first operational sortie April 22, 1944) which was flown by a different pilot, it was pretty much assigned to pilot Lt George Dancisin and his crew containing my father and tail gunner Stevens. The Dancisin crew was on leave after having flown 34 of their required 35 missions on August 16,1944 when the Full House was being used by a different crew piloted by Lt Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. A direct flak hit to the right wing caused the Full House to collide with another aircraft and both were lost. See MACR 8175 (missing air crew report)
The Dancisin crew returned from leave and flew their 35th and final mission on a new B-17G #43-38067 named "Big Chief Illiniwek by their crew chief. That date was August 25, 1944 and the mission was to Politz.
Aircraft and mission information obtained from the book "Operational Record Of the 95th Bomb Group (H)" by Paul M. Andrews
This aircraft was flown by pilot George J Dancisin and his crew (including my father Leo Makelky as ball turret gunner) on 29+ combat missions from April until August of 1944. It was lost on August 16, 1944 while in use by an alternate crew piloted by A E Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 8175 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
