Einer Petersen

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-22178.jpeg UPL 22178 Memorial at site for crashed B-17, 42-31192 (YB-R), 351st BG. Farabol, Sweden. Ivar Kandell

photo by Ivar Kandell, Sweden

Object Number - UPL 22178 - Memorial at site for crashed B-17, 42-31192 (YB-R), 351st BG. Farabol, Sweden.

Einer Petersen served as pilot and co-pilot with 8th AF, 351st BG, 509th BS out of Polebrook, England. 25 missions. His original crew finished their tours before Petersen. At the day of his death October 7th 1944 he was assigned as pilot to aircraft B-17 #42-31192 (YB-R) with a new crew on their 2nd mission.



After being hit by flak over Politz in Germany, they turned north for Sweden with only one engine working. Running out of fuel they were forced to land. As a pilot he tried to avoid potato pickers in the intended landing area and crashed in the woods nearby, losing his life.

He and the co-pilot never got out of the plane. Rest of the crew got thrown out when the plane broke in half against a rock and caught fire. Two crew members survived. MACR 9566.



He was first buried in Östra kyrkogården (Eastern Cemetery) in Malmö, Sweden. After the war he was re-buried his hometown Culbertson in Montana.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39720274
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39692501
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-719888
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19162232
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (RQ-Q, serial number 42-30499) nicknamed "My Princess" of the 509th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten on slide casing: 'RQ:Q, My Princess.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: My Princess
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: My Gal Sal II

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Culbertson, MT 59218, USA

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Farabolsvägen 699-26, 290 60 Kyrkhult, Sverige 7 October 1944 Killed during force landing at Farabol, Sweden.

Buried

Culbertson, MT 59218, USA Re-buried after war.

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from duplicate record. Sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 9566
Ivar Kandell's sources:
351st Bomb Group Association
Edited hometown to Culbertson (Culbertman was noted, no such place). Buried Culbertson according to cemetery records and relatives.

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Connected media

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Edited name from "Peterson" to the correct "Petersen". Edited text biography.

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Added MACR

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Edited information from double entries.

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Edited rank

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Edited text biography, and connected to another entry for the same person.

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Edited text in the biography// Ivar Kandell

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

Files of 351 st Bomb Group Association (Ken Harbour, group historian); Radio operator Larry Jensen; Relatives to Einer Peterson Montana; cemetery records; research done by Ivar Kandell.

Date
ContributorIvar Kandell
Changes
Sources

MACR 9366. Memorial at site Farabol, Sweden. And other sources.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 9366 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Einer Petersen: Gallery (2 items)