Edwin Richard Bush

Military
media-26752.jpeg UPL 26752 Capt Oscar D O'Neil and crew of the 401st Bomb Sqn, 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-5070 'Invasion II'. England, 12 March 1943. Capt O'Neil crouched down centre front row.

Object Number - UPL 26752 - Capt Oscar D O'Neil and crew of the 401st Bomb Sqn, 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-5070 'Invasion II'....

Aboard 'The Saint' B-17F 41-24431 which suffered an accident while taxiing on the runway on 12-Feb-43 due to strong winds. All 7 crew members were safe. Shot down 17-Apr-43 in B-17 42-5070 'Invasion II'. Plane was on fire when all crew parachuted to safety. "Capt Bush detached the Norden bombsight and tossed it out the escape hatch before following the navigator, Capt Edwin M Carmichael, through the nose hatch". Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 15519





Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Remained in USAF rising to Lt Colonel in Strategic Air Command. Killed along with pilot Brig. Gen. Jesse D Auton in a B-25 crash at Offutt AFB. A/C came in for a single engine landing and overshot the runway.

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32183032
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-430613
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bomber pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Saint
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Ground crew of the 91st Bomb Group uncover the nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress at Bassingbourn. Image stamped on reverse: '’Reviewed and Passed U.S Army 24 Mar 1943 Press Censor No 21 E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]. 'Passed for publication 24 MAR 1943 INTLD 32 Central Section Press Censorship Bureau' [stamp]. 'Associated Press' [stamp]. '254766' [Censor no]. Printed caption on reverse: 'FORTRESSES DAY RAID ON WILHELMSHAVEN The German naval base at Wilhelmshaven was successfully attacked in daylight March 22 by A
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Invasion II
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (LL-E, serial number 42-5132) of the 91st Bomb Group. Passed for publication 19 Mar 1943. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'Boeing Fortress II in squadron service in Gt. Britain.' On reverse: The Aeroplane and US Army General Section Press & Censorship [Stamps]. Print No: 254317.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Royal Flush!
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

San Francisco, CA, USA 17 July 1920

Enlisted

San Francisco, CA, USA 5 January 1942

Other

Taxiing accident

Bassingbourn, Royston SG8 5LP, UK 12 February 1943 Aboard 'The Saint' B-17F 41-24431 which suffered an accident while taxiing on the runway on 12-Feb-43 due to strong winds. 7 crew Returned to Duty (RTD).

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

85368 Moosburg, Germany 17 April 1943 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft VIIa.

Other

Shot down

Oldenburg, Germany 17 April 1943 Shot down 17 April 1943 in B-17 42-5070 'Invasion II. ' Plane was on fire when all crew parachuted to safety.

Died

Offutt AFB, NE, USA 30 March 1952 Killed along with pilot Brig. Gen. Jesse D Auton in a B-25 crash at Offutt AFB. A/C came in for a single engine landing and overshot the runway.
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Based

Bassingbourn 17 April 1943 Assigned to 401BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

Riverside Cemetery Albany, GA Riverside Cemetery Albany Dougherty County Georgia, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15519 / MACR 15519, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 p.75 and p. 105 by Bishop and Hey, The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn by Havelaar pp. 37-38, NARA / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Edwin Richard Bush: Gallery (4 items)