Earl B Duarte | American Air Museum

Earl B Duarte

Military

Pilot, Duarte crew. 381st BG, 535th BS, 8th AF. Mission #55 to Bordeaux, France. Aircraft damaged by enemy fighters blowing out the plexiglass in the nose and engines #2 & 3. Headed to Spain and bailed out with one engine left. MACR 1878. Evaded.

Livermore, CA

On our 3rd mission on 31 December 1943 in B-17 #42-39910, we were bombing airfields in Southern France and we were shot down by German fighters. We all bailed out, 7 crew members were captured. 3, myself, the co-pilot and waist gunner escaped into Spain through the underground over Pyrenees Mountains and were interned in Spain and were flown back to England from Gibraltar in March, 1944.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.

381st Bomb Group

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

A B-17 Flying Fortress (MS-O, serial number 42-3177) nicknamed "The Hellion", of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group flies over countryside. Printed caption on reverse: '65922 USAF - From the altitude this Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 381st Bomb Group is flying, the countryside resembles a patchwork quilt. U.S.AIR FORCE PHOTO.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'The Hellion.'

535th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Joseph J Balesh

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12191064
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Harry M Grimball

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-688966
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Cornelius A Heintz

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-808455
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Russell N Jevons

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 17064663
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

James E Martin

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 15104471
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

42-39910

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron

Missions

A B-17 Flying Fortress (DF-B, serial number 42-37779) nicknamed "Pistol Packin' Mama", of the 91st Bomb Group in flight during a mission over France, 14 January 1944.

61036 AC - (A)- Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 91st Bomb Gp. 8th AF, enroute to bomb target at Croisette, France. 1/14/44. (Altitude 12,100 feet.)

VIII Bomber Command 171

Date: 31 December 1943

VIII Bomber Command 169

Date: 30 December 1943

VIII Bomber Command 164

Date: 24 December 1943

Places

Ridgewell

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Born

Livermore, California

16 May 1917

Other

Evaded

31 December 1943 - 17 April 1944

EE Report 563

Based

Evaded

31 December 1943

Revisions

Date19 May 2022 15:13:16

ContributorKathyyy1

Changes

Sources

Son in law of Earl b Duarte. Just correcting middle initial.

Date18 Apr 2018 02:28:33

ContributorARowe95

Changes

Sources

ARowe95

Date14 Jan 2018 04:41:35

ContributorARowe95

Changes

Sources

ARowe95

Date27 Sep 2014 18:07:57

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of t he 8th & 9th