"Frances Langford, Bob Hope and Tony Romano pose with the crew of the Boeing B-17 (A/C 242) of the 305th Bomb Group at Station 105 in England. 5 July 1943."
L to R: Pilot Lt Sam Johnstone, Co Pilot Lt Elsworth H Kenyon, Nav Lt Martin J Licursi, Ball Turret Sgt Arthur Englehardt, Frances Langford, Bob Hope, Eng Sgt Donald Baer, Waist Sgt Richard W Lewis, Tail Sgt Homer M Bagby.
Connections
Units
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Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
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People
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
B-17 42-30004 ditched in Channel on 6 September 1943. Returned to base.
Awards: PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. B-17 42-30004 ditched in Channel on 6-Sep-43. Returned to base.
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Civilian
Bob Hope is an Anglo-American Comedian. He embarked on USO Tours 1941 to entertain the troops and continued to perform for the USO in Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and the Persian Gulf War until 1991. During the Second World War he toured Army...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Crew completed 25 missions by 19 August 1943
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Civilian
From 1941, Langford was a regular singer on Bob Hope's The Pepsodent Show[3] when he held his first military entertainment program at March Field in Riverside, California in 1941. The show was so positive, he continued broadcasting from training bases...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner, Left Waist Gunner
B-17 42-30004 ditched in Channel on 6 September 1943. Returned to base. Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 42-30242 'Lallah-V III. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Aboard B-17 42-30004 which ditched in English channel on 6-Sep-43. Returned to base. RTD
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Civilian
Guitarist who toured with the USO during World War II.
Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/5/43; Gore 13/5/43; Smoky Hill 14/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-N] Chelveston 10/6/43; fitted with H2S equipment in trials at Burtonwood, UK; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Ellsworth Kenyon, Co-pilot:...