Arthur John Osepchook

Military

Object Number - UPL 12948 - Arthur John Osepchook, Ball Turret Gunner, 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb group. POW on 8th AF mission# 252, MACR 3005

Bombs from the 'High Group' knocked the tail section off B-17G #42-37781 'Silver Dollar' and the ship crashed near Osdorf on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. POW Camp: Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16.
MACR 3005, 19 combat missions.
After the war he joined up with the USAF and retired as a Master Sergeant.

POW

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

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

People

Robert J Casey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31160822
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Emmet F Hardy

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39830126
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Military Occupation Specialty 612 - Tail Gunner

John L Heiss

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-671434
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group falls towards the ground after having its tails shot away during a mission.

Joseph Jacobson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39176552
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'

Robert O Johnson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19080173
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-37781

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver Dollar
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Stalag Luft IV

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Dover, New Hampshire 19 October 1923

Died

Ozark, Alabama 16 October 2018

Revisions

Date4 Mar 2020 01:56:59
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date17 Oct 2018 14:59:24
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date17 Oct 2018 14:58:19
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Personal message from a family member.

Date16 Oct 2017 02:09:33
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to awards
Sources

384THBOMBGROUP.COM

Date20 May 2015 11:47:25
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to biography, events and place associations
Sources

Merged with duplicate record to include information from :
MACR 3005 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Date14 Feb 2015 17:47:50
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to biography, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations, mission associations and media associations
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date14 Jan 2015 02:19:52
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to biography and awards
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date14 Jan 2015 02:13:46
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to middlename, nickname and service number
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date27 Sep 2014 18:04:07
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3005, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…

Arthur John Osepchook: Gallery (5 items)

A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'

Object number: FRE 1282 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42...

A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group falls towards the ground after having its tails shot away during a mission.

Object number: FRE 9709 - A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group...

Object number: UPL 12948 - Arthur John Osepchook, Ball Turret Gunner, 546th...

Object number: UPL 21989 - Bruce Martin Rininsland - Muscatine, 384th BG, KIA

Object number: UPL 29926 - Crew of the Silver Dollar