William M Beach

Military
A bomber crew of the 305th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" that belly landed on the runway. From left to right they are: First Lieutenant Karl H. Brauer, Navigator, from Indianapolis; Major J. Lawrence Smith co-pilot, from Carpinteria, California; Second Lieutenant Magnus G. Bolken, Operations Officer, from Arnegard, North Dakota; First Lieutenant Robert D. Metcalf, Bombardier, from Sacramento, California; Staff Sergeant John F. Hill, Asst radio operator, from Valhalla, New media-378999.jpg FRE 1133 A bomber crew of the 305th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" that belly landed on the runway. From left to right they are:
First Lieutenant Karl H. Brauer, Navigator, from Indianapolis;
Major J. Lawrence Smith co-pilot, from Carpinteria, California;
Second Lieutenant Magnus G. Bolken, Operations Officer, from Arnegard, North Dakota;
First Lieutenant Robert D. Metcalf, Bombardier, from Sacramento, California;
Staff Sergeant John F. Hill, Asst radio operator, from Valhalla, New York;
First Lieutenant Varney D. Cline, Pilot from Pineville, West Virginia;
William M. Beach, Engineer, from Lordsburg, New Mexico;
Staff Sergeant Peter Mastalarz Radio operator from Rockford, Illinois.

Official caption printed on image: '(GPR-113-7-305) [obscured by censor] (29-7-43)(Crew in front of 156).'
Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 25 Aug 1943.' [stamp] and '280524.' [Censor no.]

Printed caption on reverse has been damaged, what remains reads: 'FLYING FORTRESS ON HER BELLY. On the return from a recent raid over Europe the crew of the Fortress "LALLAH-V" piloted by 1st Lt. Varnet Cline, of Pineville, West Virginia covered the last 500 yards of the trip on the under carriage. As the Fort circled the field, it appeared to be in good condition. It was not until the ship had been set down on the runway in a perfect landing that anyone had the idea that there was trouble in the wind. As the plane rolled to the end of the runway and had come to an almost complete stop, the landing gear collasped and the plane came to a stop resting on the body of the Fortress. Keystone photo shows:- L to R: 1st. Lt. Karl H Brauer, Navigator, from Indianapolis; Major J. Lawrence Smith co-pilot, from Carpinteria, California; 2nd Lt Magnus G.Bolken, Operations Officer, from Arnegard, N. Dakota; 1st Lt. Robert D Metcalf, Bombardier, from Sacramento, Cal.; St.Sgt. John F. Hill, Asst [radio] operator, from Valhalla, New York, [1st Lt Varney D.] Cline, Pilot from Pineville, West VA....William M. Beach, Engineer, from Lordsburg, New Mexico and S/Sgt. Peter Mastalarz Radio [operator] from Rockford, Illinois ... Keystone.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Believed WFR 25156.' Roger Freeman Collection

Roger Freeman Photo

Object Number - FRE 1133 - A bomber crew of the 305th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" that belly landed on the runway. From left to right they...

Flew on "Dry Martini & the Cocktail Kids", 25 missions.



Purple Heart, DFC, Air Medal

Connections

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

Units served with

Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Two crewmembers of a 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" climb out of the top escape hatch after the aircraft's landing gear unexpectedly collapsed at the end of the runway as the aircraft returned from a raid on the 29th of July 1943. caption on image: "(GPR-113-3-305)(29-7-43)(The Hard Way)." Passed as censored 25 Aug 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Lands On Her Belly. On the return from a recent raid over Europe, the crew of the Fortress "Lallah-V" piloted by 1
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lallah V
  • Unit: VIII Air Force Service Command 305th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 364th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Tyrone, NM 88061, USA 16 December 1920

Died

19 October 2008

Buried

Deming, NM 88030, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

305th Bomb Group Roster / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

William M Beach: Gallery (1 items)