James Frank Bucher

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Ninemen in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane.  Five men standing to the rear and four men kneeling in front. UPL 65719 UPL 65719 Original Morrison Crew (possibly training at stateside location). Standing: Bucher, MIA 1943-11-26), Engwer (BT), Striesfeld (RO), Burger (Eng/TT), Henry (Eng/TT, KIA 1943-11-26).
Kneeling: Pitelka (B), Childs (N, shot down with another crew 1943-10-14, evaded), DeMille (CP), Morrison (P)
384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron Grafton Underwood Donald Sylvester Morrison Donald Leroy Engwer James Frank Bucher Francis J Pitelka Robert E DeMille Maurice Victor Henry Everett L Childs Joseph Earnest Burger Nathan Striesfeld On

Object Number - UPL 65719 - Original Morrison Crew (possibly training at stateside location). Standing: Bucher, MIA 1943-11-26), Engwer (BT), Striesfeld (RO), Burger (Eng/TT),...

James Bucher was serving as Left Waist Gunner on B-17 #42-5051 'Barrel House Bessie' when it was shot down on the 26 November 1943 to Bremen, Germany. Plane ditched in North Sea and James Bucher drowned, unable to get on board a life raft in the icy waters. Killed in Action (KIA). Posthumously awared Air Medal and Purple Heart.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32373835
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36255285
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14006633 at enlistment, then O-406671
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37205337
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19085247 at enlistment, then O-738778
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Barrel House Bessie
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 303rd Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

25 April 1916 Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Enlisted

30 March 1942 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Died

Missing In Action (MIA)

North Sea 26 November 1943 The plane was damaged by flak and ditched in the North Sea near the English coast.  Sgt. Bucher was unable to reach the life raft.  MACR 1579

Other

Memorial

Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England: Tablets of the Missing

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 1579
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Casualties for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1579 / MACR 1579, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

James Frank Bucher: Gallery (3 items)