Alfred T McGowan

Military
media-28945.jpeg UPL 28945 The crew of the "Swing Shift Baby" sometime between March 1944 and August 1944, as I recognize the co-pilot 2LT Joe Amrheim in the back row, far left, and my Dad, Wade S. Beyeler, is not in the photo since he arrived in Deopham Green in early August 1944... Alfred McGowan was the ball turret gunner... What a cramped and dangerous position to man... RIP SSG McGowan... RIP to all of the crew who have passed...

Photos provided courtesy of the family of Alfred McGowan...

Object Number - UPL 28945 - The crew of the "Swing Shift Baby" sometime between March 1944 and August 1944, as I recognize the co-pilot 2LT Joe Amrheim in the back row, far...

On Sept 26,1944 plane was hit by flak on mission to Ludwigshaven, the entire crew had to bail out over Luxembourg. . They landed right in the middle of the German-American lines. Some American soldiers rushed them thinking they were German parachutists. They rounded them up and took them to Paris, after a few days they returned to base. S/Sergeant Hart was Missing in Action (MIA) for 2 days but later returned to base with help of the underground Plane was B-17 #42-102513 'Swing Shift Baby'

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Swing Shift Baby Final Mission Report
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 731st Bomb Squadron 452nd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Swing Shift Baby
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 25 September 1944

Places

Revisions

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Contributormbeyeler
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Sources

American Air Museum

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Unit history list

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Contributormbeyeler
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Photos courtesy of the family of Alfred McGowan

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ContributorAAM
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Sources

452nd Unit History / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Alfred T McGowan: Gallery (4 items)