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Navigator 2LT Rollin P. Ball, 324th Bomb Sq, 91st BG, survived the ditching of his ship, B-17F 41-24464 "Excalibur" (coded OR-J, borrowed from the 323rd Bomb Sq) returning from the 4 March 1943 mission to Hamm.
Less than three months later he would be declared MIA; returning from the 21 May trip to Wilhelmshaven aboard B-17F 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" with LT Phillip S. Fischer & crew, they would disappear over the North Sea; no trace was ever found.
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These are four of seven survivors of an 8AF Flying Fortress [ B-17F 41-24464 "Excalibur" coded OR-J ] which crashed in the North Sea on its way home from a bombing mission over Germany 4-Mar-43. They are, L to R: 1st Lt Robert F Brubaker, [ Clearwater, Fla ]. Bombardier; T/Sgt. William G G Dickson waist gunner, T/Sgt Edwin L Barber tail gunner, Navigator 2nd Lt Rollin P Ball. They are stood in front of B-17 41-24485 'Memphis Belle'.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A09113-56500AC.
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Navigator 2nd Lt. Rollin P. Ball, 324th BS, 91st BG, survived the ditching of his ship, B-17F 41-24464 "Excalibur" returning from the 4 MAR 1943 mission to Hamm. Less than three months later he would be declared MIA; returning from the 21 MAY 1943 trip to Wilhelmshaven aboard B-17F 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" with Lt. Phillip S. Fischer and crew, they would disappear over the North Sea; no trace was ever found.
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Headstone for 2nd Lt. Rollin P. Ball in the Netherlands American Cemetery. Name is also included in Tablets of the Missing.
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2nd Lt. Rollin P. Ball, Navigator, 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group
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Rollin Ball, Navigator, 41-24464 "Excalibur" and 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" 324th BS, 91st BG
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Rollin Ball, Navigator, 41-24464 "Excalibur" and 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" 324th BS, 91st BG
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Rollin Ball, Navigator, 41-24464 "Excalibur" and 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" 324th BS, 91st BG
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Rollin Ball, Navigator, 41-24464 "Excalibur" and 41-24515 "Jersey Bounce" 324th BS, 91st BG
2LT Rollin P. Ball was Navigator on two differentt B-17s that were lost.
On 4-Mar-43 in B-17F #41-24464 "Exbalibur" 91BG/324BS while serving as Navigator the aircraft sustained damage from fighter attacks and was forced to ditch 40 miles west of Texel Island, Holland. He was rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer after spending seven hours in a life raft and Returned to Duty (RTD) He was incorrectly listed on the report as 'Roland P. Ball'
Killed in Action (KIA) on 21 May 1943 in B-17F #41-24515 'Marie Jane', 91BG/324BS while serving as Navigator. The aircraft sustained damage from AA fire and crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3458
Air Medal, Purple Heart w/ OLC
Service
People
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed in Action (KIA) on 4-Mar-43 in B-17 41-24464 'Excalibur', 91BG/324BS while serving as Pilot. Aircraft was ditched into North Sea 40 miles west of Texel Island, Holland after repeated fighter attacks. Plane...
Units served with
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Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
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Squadron
Home of the Memphis Belle
Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 367BS/306BG Westover 17-Aug-42; Thurleigh 13-Oct-42; transferred 324BS/91BG [DF-J] Bassingbourn 20-Feb-43; Missing in Action (MIA) 2m Hamm 4-Mar-43. Shot down by Lt Kostler (IV/NJG1) in Me 110, KO’d #1 & #3, oil pouring away before #4 was...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-H] Bangor 2-Sep-42; Bassingbourn 26-Sep-42; Missing in Action (KIA) 24+m Wilhelmshaven, Germany 21-May-43. Aircraft sustained damage from flak & enemy aircraft, crashed into the North Sea, 10KIA Missing Air Crew Report 3458 ...
Missions
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4 March 1943
After several weather-caused aborted attempts in attacking the marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, the 8th Air Force is finally successful in attacking this target. A total of 71 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (18); 305BG (12) amd 306BG (21)....
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21 May 1943
The German naval and port facilities at Wilhelmshaven and Emden, Germany are the two primary targets for this mission. Once again, there is a two-fold strategic objective: entice the Luftwaffe to commit its fighter forces; and further degrade the naval...
Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Talbot City, Maryland |
3 April 1905 |
Rescued |
Texel, Netherlands |
4 March 1943 |
Rescued from the North Sea by a Royal Navy destroyer when his aircraft B-17F 41-24464 was forced to ditch because of battle damage from fighter attacks.
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Killed in Action (KIA) |
North Sea |
21 May 1943 |
Killed when his aircraft B-17F 41-24515 sustained damage from AA fire and crashed into the North Sea.
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Commemorated |
Netherlands American Cemetery, AM Begraafplaats 1, 6269 NA Margraten |
1945 |
Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery.
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