Earl V Benham

Military

Object Number - UPL 50281 - JACK OGG CREW #13, 100th BG Front Row L-R: Jack Ogg-CP, Loren Van Steenis-P, Harold Becker-N, Lester Torbett-Bomb. Back Row L-R: Archie...

Assigned to 350BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Van Steenis crew. Flew on B-17 "Hard Luck" and 'Hard Luck II', 28 x combat missions.
Earl later wrote up his wartime experience in the book 'With Crew 13'

Awards: AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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

Units served with

The wreckage of a B-24 Liberator (GO-K) of the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group that has crash landed. A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 100th Bomb Group is in the background.

100th Bomb Group

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

People

Harold Charles Becker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-682134
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Edward Charles Butchino

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31167562
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Joseph V Clouthier

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31082928
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Robert Norman Goodman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12151842
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Archie Kenneth Holladay

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34382632
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer

Aircraft

42-31903

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hard Luck II
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

42-3413

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hard Luck !
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Montevideo, MN 27 July 1915 Son of Don Gibson and Ida Louise [Lee] Benham.

Died

Sierra Vista, AZ 19 November 2007

Enlisted

Based

Thorpe Abbotts Assigned to 350BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF.
Milan, MN

Enlisted

Other

Training

Harlingen, TX Gunnery - Harlingen, Texas

Other

Training

Scott Field, IL Radio - Scott Field, Illinois

Other

Training

Moses Lake, WA Operational - Moses Lake, Washington

Other

Aviation employment

San Diego, CA Consolidated aircraft - PBY riveter.

Revisions

Date8 Jun 2021 20:11:37
ContributorAl_Skiff
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/record/62213479/earl-v-benham-social-security-dea…
http://withcrew13.com/html/the_author_earl_benham.html

Date29 Nov 2020 11:22:32
ContributorHelen
Sources

Century Bulletin

Date26 Nov 2014 15:17:00
ContributorEmily
Sources

James R Skalicky, via American Air Museum Memory Book correspondence.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:08:00
ContributorAAM
Sources

100th Bomb Group Foundation Directory, 2000 - 2001 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Earl V Benham: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 50281 - JACK OGG CREW #13, 100th BG Front Row L-R: Jack...

Object number: UPL 6672 - A bomber crew of the 100th Bomb Group with their B...