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Liberty Belle, #43-38037 - B-17 of the 836th Squadron S/Sgt George R. Michael (radio operator) first on left front row was one of two men who survived.
B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle' with part of her ground crew and the crew of Lt Raymond F. Jackson, 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Lavenham, England. All but two of Lt Jackson's crew were killed in a midair collision near Bielefeld, Germany on September 30, 1944. The men in this photo are:
Back Row (L to R):
2/Lt Edward C. Plevak, Bombardier – KIA
2/Lt John H. Franke Jr, Navigator – POW
Three ground crew members, unknown
2/Lt Theodore I. Sherrill, Copilot – KIA
1/Lt Raymond F. Jackson, Pilot – KIA
Front Row (L to R):
S/Sgt George R. Michael, Radio Operator – POW
Sgt Bennie L. Ballard, Waist Gunner – KIA
S/Sgt Willie Rogers, Ball Turret – KIA
S/Sgt Laverne W. Nelson, Engineer – KIA
S/Sgt Benjamin W. Harcq Jr, Tail Gunner – KIA
(Paul Webber)
Group
The 487th Bomb Group began operations as preparations for D-Day were reaching their crescendo and played their part by bombing airfields in northern France. Like the 486th Bomb Group, the 487th switched to B-17 Flying Fortress for missions from 1...
Squadron
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA). 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
Prisoner of War (POW). 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA). 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G #43-38037 'Liberty Bell'. While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with #43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400 hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell'. While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator
Prisoner of War (POW). 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner, Top Turret Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier, Navigator
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Killed in Action (KIA) 30 Sep 1944 in B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Bell. ' While on mission to Bielefeld, GE, had a mid-air with 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' from same squadron. Lost left wing and crashed at 1400hrs, six miles east of Bielefeld. 7 Killed in...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Cheyenne 19/6/44; Kearney 28/6/44; Dow Fd 11/7/44; Assigned 836BS/487BG Lavenham 13/7/44.
...
Military site : airfield
Lavenham was built as a standard USAAF bomber airfield, with fifty hardstandings, T2 hangars and 2,000 and 1,400 feet runways. John Laing and Son Ltd. carried out the work in 1943, and the airfield opened in April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group occupied...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 02 August 2020 23:49:29 | PaulWebber | Changes to caption, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
1. de Jong, Ivo. 'The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H)'. Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004 (This photo is published on page 134.) |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 December 2016 15:02:32 | Yorkshireman | Created entry with collection, caption and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Hutchinson & Cortright |
||
