Jessie H Lehr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-41696.jpeg UPL 41696 The first crew of the 401st Bomb Group to return to the home base in England after a raid on Berlin, Germany, pose beside their plane - the Boeing B-17 'Fool's Luck'. They are, (Left To Right) Back Row: F/Sgt. Jesse H. Lehr, Radio Operator, S/Sgt. Pete D. Henderson waist gunner, 1Lt Donald M Anderson Bombardier, Capt Jere Maupin co-pilot, Capt James J Goodman pilot, 1Lt Robert J Ramsey tail gunner. Front Row: T/Sgt John O Farmer ball turret gunner, S/Sgt Burton A Markle waist gunner, T/Sgt Foster E Dewees top turret gunner and 2Lt Frank P Fraoli navigator. 6th March 1944.

https://www.fold3.com/image/32162654

Object Number - UPL 41696 - The first crew of the 401st Bomb Group to return to the home base in England after a raid on Berlin, Germany, pose beside their plane - the Boeing...

Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. After landing from a local test flight on 28-Jan-44, a fire broke out in the bomb bay in B-17 42-37772. A/C was abandoned and was destroyed in fire. RTD.



B-17 42-97578 stalled after take off for a flight to Deenethorpe and crashed into a barracks on 24-Mar-44. Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: PH.



Forename misspelt on Remembrance Plaque in St Mary's Church, Yelden

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.

305th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

William D Sellers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18103277 / O-666363
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-31087

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Heaven Can Wait, Boche Buster
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

42-31511

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fools Luck III
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

42-37772

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Flyin Jenny
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

42-39837

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Red's Rogues
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

42-39979

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron 614th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Sunflower County, MS 25 February 1922 Son of John C and Mary Lehr

Enlisted

Camp Shelby, MS 19 October 1942 Camp Shelby, Mississippi

Died

Killed in Action (KIA)

Great Yeldham, UK 24 March 1944 His A/C B-17 42-97578 stalled after take off for a flight to Deenethorpe and crashed into a barracks 24-Mar-44. Died Non Battle (DNB)

Based

Deenethorpe 24 March 1944 Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/310953075
https://www.fold3.com/image/178633360
https://www.fold3.com/record/705403069/lehr-jesse-h-u-s-wwii-hospital-a…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66147406/jessie-h-lehr
Removed # from A/C serial NO. to aid clarity and consistency

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed an association to William Sellers of the 401st BG.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a location to the KIA event per info in the "Summary biography".
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/310953075
https://www.fold3.com/record/88065878-jesse-h-lehr
Key Image ID.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=400

Jessie H Lehr: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 31464 - Remembrance plaque to the airmen killed when B-17...

Object number: UPL 41696 - The first crew of the 401st Bomb Group to return...