8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
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.'
Connections
Units
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384th Bomb Group
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by... -
546th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Peter Gudyka
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator
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. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3005, 21 combat missions. -
Emmet Hardy
Military | Staff Sergeant | Military Occupation Specialty 612 - Tail Gunner
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. Killed in Action (KIA). Missing Air Crew Report #3005. -
John Heiss
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier
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. Killed in Action (KIA). 16 combat missions. -
Joseph Jacobson
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner
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. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3005, 11 combat missions. -
Robert Johnson
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner
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. Killed in Action (KIA). 16 combat missions. -
Arthur Osepchook
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Bombs from the 'High Group' knocked the tail section off B-17G #42-37781 'Silver Dollar' and the ship crashed near Osdorf on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. POW Camp: Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to... -
Merlin Reed
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
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. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3005, 19 combat missions. -
Bruce Rininsland
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Bombs from the 'High Group' knocked the tail section off B-17G #42-37781 'Silver Dollar' and the ship crashed near Osdorf on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR #3005. -
Robert Wellman
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner
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. Killed in Action (KIA). 20 combat missions.
Aircraft
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42-37781 Silver Dollar
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 26/8/43; Gr Island 18/9/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 19/10/43; 1 BAD 23/10/43; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-U] Grafton Underwood 2/11/43, after 544/5BS; Missing in Action Berlin 9/3/44 with Merlin H. Reed, Co-pilot: Bruce M. Rininsland...
Missions
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8th Air Force 253
9 March 1944
Berlin is once again targeted by this mission as a secondary target. Primary target not listed in source data. All 3 Air Divisions despatch aircraft. There is very little fighter opposition. Mission Summary follows: ...
Locations
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Grafton Underwood
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 14 January 2015 02:03:53 | bombercommand | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
384thbombgroup.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 September 2014 15:27:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection |
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