43-37767 Star Eyes, My Ideal

Delivered Cheyenne 19/5/44; Patterson 26/6/44; Kearney 26/6/44; Grenier 6/7/44; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-H] Snetterton 8/7/44; Missing in Action Brunswick 2/3/45 with Benton Gatch, Co-pilot: John Kennedy, Navigator: Emmett Brown, Bombardier: John Ozier, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Roy Gearhart, Radio Operator: Loyal Bright, Ball turret gunner: Bob Bashaw, Waist gunner: Ken Bonsecours, Tail gunner: Bill Gorsuch (9 Killed in Action); mid air coll with #44-8697 (96BG); ditched North Sea, 10 miles S of Southwold, Sfk; Missing Air Crew Report 12848 (6?). MY IDEAL.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

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

People

George Kenneth Bachman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: B17 Engineer

Robert L Bashaw

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Kenneth N Bonsecours

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Loyal A Bright

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Places

Aircraft

44-8697

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

France 2 March 1945

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Sources

Added a unit connection to the 8th AF.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Added a space in the A/C “Description” for clarity.

Date
ContributorJohnnyMac
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

Dave Osborn's Fort Log - and my father flew on it.

Date
Contributorkcrichton23
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

granddaughter of Clark H Benington

Date
Contributorkcrichton23
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

granddaughter of Clark H Benington

Date
Contributorkcrichton23
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Clark H Benington -- 339th Bombardment Squadron Loading List, 26 Aug 1944

Date
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 12848 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database