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Page 189 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flexible Gunner
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Staff Sergeant
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner
B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 9 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD.
Flew on ""Fitch's Bandwagon"" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1"
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier
Luis Sanchez served as a bombardier with the 613th Bomb Squadron of the 401st Bomb Group, flying bombing missions out of Deenethorpe, England. He flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Flew on "Fitch's Bandwagon" and the plane's record, as of 31 May 1944: 17 heavy bombardment missions to enemy-occupied Europe with not a turn-back due to mechanical difficulties.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 4/2/44; Grenier 2/3/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-B] 21 combat missions; Deenethorpe 23/3/44; Taxi accident while waiting to take-off for Equihen, France 2/6/44 with Larry Fitchett, Co-pilot: Bruce Campbell, Navigator: Lawrence Pfeiffer,...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 July 2017 13:54:12 | general ira snapsorter | Created entry with collection, caption and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
An original copy of the 401st Bomb Group unit history in IWM’s Roger Freeman Collection, printed in 1946. |
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