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A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sondra Kay". England, 11 August 1943.
Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball (FE), Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin (BTG), New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis (TG), Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza (WG), Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis (R/O), Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Francis H Curry (WG), Roswell, New Mexico;
Back row, left to right: 2nd Lt Frank N Broach (B), Irving, Texas; 2nd Lt Albert (NMI) Rubin (CP), Chicago, Ill; 2nd Lt Henry O Cox (P), Crossville, Tenn; 2nd Lt Willis E Eddy (N), Battle Creek Mich. US Air Force Photo.'
Made corrections to the caption, adding crew positions and changing the plane name from "Sandra Kay" to "Sondra Kay"
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sandra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball, Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin, New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis, Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza, Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis, Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Francis H Curry, Roswell, New Mexico; Back row, left to right: 2nd Lt Frank N Broach, Irving, Texas; 2nd Lt Albert (NMI) Rubin, Chicago, Ill; 2nd Lt Henry O Cox, Crossville, Teen; 2nd Lt Willis E Eddy, Battle Creek Mich. US Air Force Photo.'
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner
Killed on mission in returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice on B-17 #42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. AC crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon.
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier
1st Lt Broach was the son of Frank Norman Broach Sr., and Clara Elizabeth Wilson Broach.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
Henry Jr. was a graduate of the 1940 class of Cumberland County High School. Two classmates, and football team members, graduating from CCHS in 1938, Ben H. West Jr. and Cecil G. Buttram were killed in action. AMM 3rd Class Ben H. West Jr. enlisted Dec...
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Right Waist Gunner
He resided in Dawson County, Texas prior to the war.
...
Military | Captain | Navigator/Squadron Navigator
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator
Killed on mission in returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice on B-17 #42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. AC crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon. 16 September 1943
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Left Waist Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA) 16 September 1943
AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ PH
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner
Killed on mission returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice in B-17 #42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. A/C crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon. 16 September 1943
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner
Killed on mission in returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice on B17 42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. AC crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon. 16 September 1943
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Killed on returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice in B-17 #42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. A/C crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon. 16 September 1943
Air Medal
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Gore 9/5/43; Sioux City 10/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 1/6/43; crashed on take off for Bremen after encountering mechanical problems 13/11/43 with Bob Simons, Co-pilot: Alvin...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 30/4/43; Sioux City 13/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; following Regensburg shuttle mission suffered battle damaged over Bordeaux on return trip to base 24/8/43, with Lloyd...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 30/4/43; Sioux City 7/5/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG [--E] Knettishall 16/6/43; suffered battle damaged at La Pallice, Fr. 16/9/43 with Henry Cox, Co-pilot: Albt Rubin, Navigator: Bob Leaventhal, Bombardier: Frank...
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 21 December 2017 21:42:56 | 466thHistorian | Changes to caption, person associations, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-C085&dat... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 September 2014 15:27:37 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection |
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