Dan C Knight

Military
Combat and ground crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress, (serial number 41-31983) nicknamed "Mary Alice". The airmen, left to right, are: (Front row) Charlie Wilson (waist gunner), William "Mack" Mackowiack (ball turret gunner). (Middle Row) Eddie Chambers (bombardier) and Dan Knight (pilot). Handwritten caption on reverse: '401.'

Object Number - FRE 2213 - Combat and ground crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress, (serial number 41-31983) nicknamed "Mary Alice". The airmen, left to...

Lieutenant Dan C Knight flew 28 missions with 401st Bomb group from 22 February to 25 June 1944. He and his crew were the first assigned to the 401st Bomb Group.

Knight was pilot of B-17 'Mary Alice' which was named after his mother.

Connections

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

Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

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

People

Charles B Atcher

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Charles B Atcher

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 457th Bomb Group 750th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner
Combat and ground crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress, (serial number 41-31983) nicknamed "Mary Alice". The airmen, left to right, are: (Front row) Charlie Wilson (waist gunner), William "Mack" Mackowiack (ball turret gunner). (Middle Row) Eddie Chambers (bombardier) and Dan Knight (pilot). Handwritten caption on reverse: '401.'

Edward C Chambers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier; Navigator

Frederick L Cope

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant

Frederick L Cope

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 457th Bomb Group 750th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner

Aircraft

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Mary Alice" of the 401st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '401. Unknown. C2. '

42-31983

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Mary Alice
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

New York State 1 February 1918

Revisions

Date7 Feb 2020 16:27:33
ContributorEmily
Sources

http://401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=0319

Date17 Aug 2018 13:14:51
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Sources

American Air Museum text from displays.

Date2 Apr 2015 15:15:35
ContributorMaryEllenPfeifer
Sources

iwm.org.uk

Date30 Sep 2014 11:14:18
ContributorPhillWray
Sources

Biographical details corrected and updated from AAM caption,

Date30 Sep 2014 11:08:02
ContributorEmily
Sources

Associated Image of Dan C Knight with Mary Alice.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:06:50
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000/daughter, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=319

Dan C Knight: Gallery (4 items)

Lieutenant Dan Knight, a pilot of the 401st Bomb Group inspects damage to the tail gun position of his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983) nicknamed "Mary Alice". Official caption printed on image: '(GHD-840-268-401)(17.7.44)(42-31983).' Image via Dan Knight

Object number: FRE 1705 - Lieutenant Dan Knight, a pilot of the 401st Bomb...

Combat and ground crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress, (serial number 41-31983) nicknamed "Mary Alice". The airmen, left to right, are: (Front row) Charlie Wilson (waist gunner), William "Mack" Mackowiack (ball turret gunner). (Middle Row) Eddie Chambers (bombardier) and Dan Knight (pilot). Handwritten caption on reverse: '401.'

Object number: FRE 2213 - Combat and ground crew of the 401st Bomb Group...

An airman of the 615th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group points to a flak hole in hi B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983). Official caption on image: "(GAD-840-266-401)(17-7-44)(42-31983)." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'C4. RF. 401.'

Object number: FRE 8080 - Lieutenant Dan C Knight of the 615th Bomb Squadron...

A-2 Leather Flying Jacket worn by Lieutenant Dan C Knight of the 401st Bomb Group. A zipper fronted single-breasted jacket of brown leather with stand & fall collar and patch pockets to the lower front. The jacket has knitted cuffs and waistband and has artwork painted to the back of the jacket, featuring Bugs Bunny holding a bomb beneath the text, 'Mary Alice' for Knight's aircraft. A series of downward pointing bombs are to the left of the main design and the text, 'GNATZI - KNIGHTMARE' beneath.

Object number: UNI 13859 - A-2 Leather Flying Jacket worn by Lieutenant Dan C...