FRE 4710

IMAGE
Hollywood actor Captain Clark Gable and his crew of the 511st Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (DS-Y, serial number 42-29835) nicknamed "Pistol Ball" at Bodney. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable - Bodney - DS-Y 'Pistol Ball'.'
Download Image

By downloading this image, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions

Hollywood actor Captain Clark Gable and his crew of the 511st Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (DS-Y, serial number 42-29835) nicknamed "Pistol Ball" at Bodney. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable - Bodney - DS-Y 'Pistol Ball'.' The man to his right is Lt. Colonel E. L. "Pop" Clark. 352nd Fighter Group. Blue Nose Bastard.

Connections

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

Units

The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.

351st Bomb Group

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

People

Lieutenant Colonel Eugene "Pop" Clark of the 352nd Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La Riena Peg " Bodney, April 1944. Written on slide casing: '4/44 Bodney, Lt Col E Clark. PE-Z, 42106459 La Riena Peg.'

Eugene Louis Clark

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group Headquarters (352nd Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-361722
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot, Deputy Commanding Officer
Hollywood actor Clark Gable in the waist gun position of a a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group. Passed for publication 6 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable Serves In England: Clark Gable has slipped into this country as Capt. Gable and is serving with the U.S. Army Air Force somewhere in England, as a Gunnery Instructor. He hopes that his movements will not be accompanied by the publicity that he had a while ago, because he wants to get down to the job as others are doing. Keysto

William Clark Gable

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19125741 at enlistment, then O-565390
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Cameraman, Gunner, Actor

Aircraft

Hollywood actor Captain Clark Gable and his crew of the 511st Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (DS-Y, serial number 42-29835) nicknamed "Pistol Ball" at Bodney. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable - Bodney - DS-Y 'Pistol Ball'.'

42-29835

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pistol Ball
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron

Locations

Aerial photograph of Bodney airfield, looking south east, the barrack sites are in the top centre of the image, 8 June 1945. Photograph taken by No. 542 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/369. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Bodney

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Royal Air Force Bodney

Revisions

Date:
ContributorWSOBrugby
ChangesChanges to caption and unit associations
Sources

P. Clark. E. L. Clark's son

Date:
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection