John James Plotz

Military
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, 546TH Bomb Squadron falls towards the ground after having its tail shorn off by falling bombs during...

Bombs from the 'High Group' knocked the tail section off B-17G #42-37781 'Silver Dollar' and crashed near Osdorf on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. Prisoner of War (POW). Missing Air crew Report #3005.

POW

Connections

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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

Peter Gudyka

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-669278
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

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

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Lincoln, Illinois 6 May 1914

Died

14 September 2002

Revisions

Date27 Aug 2017 21:29:04
ContributorWatspoon
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

I made a mistake in the last edit

Date27 Aug 2017 21:27:51
ContributorWatspoon
ChangesChanges to middlename and events
Sources

Added a bit more info including death

Date4 Jul 2016 23:36:18
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to biography, awards, person associations and media associations
Sources

2016-07-04,Information from duplicate record https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/124693 was moved to this file.

Date14 Jan 2015 02:28:46
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date14 Jan 2015 02:24:16
Contributorbombercommand
ChangesChanges to service number and awards
Sources

384thbombgroup.com

Date27 Sep 2014 18:16:18
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=…

John James Plotz: Gallery (2 items)

The insignia of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group.

Object number: FRE 5135 - The insignia of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th...

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...