Boeing B-17G, 42-97546

 

B-17G-20, s/n 42-97546, "Idaliza", 360th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group, England, 15 Sept 1944. Originally in the 92nd Bombardment Group then transferred to the 457th Bombardment Group and finally ending up in the 303rd.

 

 

Pilot, 1st Lt. Neil Coates and aircrew examine damage from the mission they just finished over Wizernes, France, 22 June 1944

 

Mission Crew

1st Lt. Neil Coates - pilot

2nd Lt. Harold L. Carlman Jr. - co-pilot

2nd Lt. Robert L. Dunn - navigator

F/O Clarence J. Kleppner - bombardier

S/Sgt. Joseph F. Goggin - engineer

S/Sgt. Almo W. Dennerle - radio operator

S/Sgt. Paul W. Pesetsky - ball turret gunner

S/Sgt. Roy D. Harvey - tail gunner

Sgt. Arthur Teran - waist gunner

 

 

"Idaliza" crew of Lt. Statton, England, 3 January 1945

 

Left to right

Standing

Sgt. William H. Rhodes - engineer

2nd Lt. Thomas R. Donahue - navigator

2nd Lt. David A. Schroll - co-pilot

1st Lt. Roy F. Statton - pilot

Kneeling

T/Sgt. Charles Delmer Knowles Jr. - radio operator

Sgt. Robert W. Koci - ball turret gunner

Sgt. Gordon H. Maxson - waist/tail gunner

Sgt. Marion M Mooney - tail gunner

Sgt. Heiber J. Woods - nose gunner

 

 

"Idaliza" crew of Lt. Armfield, England, 3 January 1945

 

Left to right

Standing

1st Lt. Theodor W. Mishtal - bombardier

1st Lt. James Lenzey Stewart - navigator

2nd Lt. Dudley V. Marten - co-pilot

1st Lt. John M. Armfield - pilot

Kneeling

S/Sgt. Donald L. Haynes - radio operator

S/Sgt. Edward F. Goggin - waist/ball turret

S/Sgt. Richard D. Elliott - ball turret gunner

T/Sgt. James M Lemon Jr. - engineer

Sgt. James W. Davis - tail gunner

 

"Idaliza" crew of Lt. Edmunds, England, 3 January 1945

 

Left to right

Standing

2nd Lt. Robert E. "Bob" Edmunds - pilot

2nd Lt. Franklin Wade Perry - bombardier

2nd Lt. Clarence E. Bristol Jr. - co-pilot

2nd Lt. Gordon Bates Lofquist - navigator

Kneeling

Sgt. Norman D. Hammel - engineer

Sgt. Gordon W. Farnham - ball turret gunner

Sgt. Matthew N. Polo - radio operator

Sgt. Frank Charles Rumberger - tail gunner

Sgt. Raymond H. King - waist gunner

 

 

Ground crew of "Idaliza", England, 14 April 1945. At the time of this photo she had flown 105 missions

North American B-25, 43-27636

 

B-25J-1-NC, s/n 43-27636, "Ave Maria", 447th Bombardment Squadron, 321st Bombardment Group, Italy.

This aircraft was a veteran of 103 missions when this photo was taken.

Boeing B-17F, 42-30237

B-17F-95, s/n 42-30237, "Stump Jumper", 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, England, 16 July 1943

 

Crew left to right

Standing

T/Sgt. Donald B Armstrong - right waist gunner

Joseph Theiss - pilot

Lt. James G. Edwards - navigator

Lt. Thomas D. Pfeifer - bombadier

2nd Lt. Julius "Red" W. Krafft - co-pilot

Kneeling

S/Sgt. Frank P. Frydryk - ball turret gunner

Sgt. George R. Hill - tail gunner

T/Sgt. Morrison T. Nolan - engineer

T/Sgt. Delbert William "Del" Klump - left waist gunner

Sgt. Hugh McKeegan - radio operator

 

This is early in the aircrafts life, which has only 6 missions under its belt

 

 

"Stump Jumper", still with 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, England, 18 November 1943. I am unsure about the crew in this photo.

 

 

 

One of the crew members of "Stump Jumper" is loaded into a Dodge 3/4 ton WC-54 ambulance after being wounded on a mission, June 1944

 

This aircraft was eventually lost over Oldenberg, Germany on 1 January 1945



Boeing B-17F, 42-5821

B-17F-25, s/n 42-5821, "Cindy", 527th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, England, 5 August 1943

 

Crew (no specific order)

F/O David W. Rees - pilot (POW)

2nd Lt. Clair M. Dietrich - co-pilot (POW)

2nd Lt. William L. Busch - navigator (POW)

2nd Lt. Ernest A. Galloway - bombardier (POW)

T/Sgt. John T. Brennan - (KIA)

S/Sgt. Dominick P Fiorani - ball turret gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Stanley M Govern - tail gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Chester H. Lundquist - right waist gunner (KIA)

T/Sgt. Joseph L. Murphy - radio operator  (KIA)

Sgt. James A Williams - left waist gunner (KIA)

 

The aircraft was lost on 12 August 1943 near Gelsenkirchen, Germany

 

Boeing B-17F, 42-30191

Boeing B-17F-90, s/n 42-30191, "the Bolevich", 525th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, England, 1943

 

 

Identified crew

Lt. Donald W. Merchant - pilot (POW) (left, rear)

other crew

Lt. James E Sullivan - co-pilot (POW)

Lt. Ernest K Keith - navigator (POW)

Lt. Leonard J. Roman - bombardier (POW)

T/Sgt. Gene R Hecht - radio operator (KIA)

T/Sgt. Johannes H. Johnson - engineer (POW)

S/Sgt. Robert T. Tonge - ball turret gunner (POW)

T/Sgt. Harold B. Ridgely - right waist gunner (POW)

S/Sgt. Edgar Van Valkenberg - left waist gunner (POW)

S/Sgt. John L. Wierzbanowski - tail gunner (POW)

 

This aircraft was lost on 17 August 1943 when it crash landed near Elfershausen, Germany. All crew bailed out except Lt. Merchant who crash landed the aircraft. T/Sgt. Gene R Hecht was shot by Germans during an escape attempt from an Austrian prison camp.

Boeing B-17E, 41-9100

B-17E, s/n 41-9100, "Birmingham Blitzkrieg", 525th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, England, 7 September 1943.

This aircraft flew its first mission on 17 August 1942 with the 97th Bombardment Group, later transferred to the 92nd Bombardment Group, finally transferred to the 379th Bombardment group where it acted as a formation aircraft

 

Identified in this photo is Col. Preston, CO of the 379th Bombardment Group on the left

 

 

B-17E, s/n 41-9100 in its new role as formation aircraft with the 379th Bombardment Group, England, 24 July 1944

 

 

Another view of B-17E 41-9100 on 24 July 1944. In the role of formation aircraft it was painted in red and white stripes



Douglas C-47 s/n ???

Douglass C-47, s/n ???, Gibraltar, October 2nd 1943

 

 

Nose art



Boeing B-17F, 42-3176

Boeing B-17F-30, s/n 42-3176, "Lady Astrid", 527th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, England, 11 October 1943 [This aircraft was formerly "Spook II" of the  336th Bombardment Squadron, 95th Bombardment Group]

 

 

In the photo the only crew member I can place is on the left rear

1st Lt. Alden C Johnson - pilot (KIA)

Other crew

Lt. Warren Holtsberg - co-pilot (POW)

Lt. Vince Tapping - navigator (POW)

Lt. Lou Dubois - bombardier (POW)

S/Sgt. Eugene T. Johnson - tail gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. James R. Locke - left waist gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Raoul A Rosseau - ball turret gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Ralph K Scripter - right waist gunner (KIA)

S/Sgt. Antonio A Velasquez - radio operator (KIA)

T/Sgt. Ben Brittain - engineer (POW)

 

 

The aircraft was lost 14 October 1943 at approximately 14:35 over Schweinfurt, Germany. According to Germany documents there were claims by 3 units: schwere-Flakbatterie z.b.V. 6240/schwere-Flak.Abt. 482; 1./schwere-Flakbatterie 906; 4./schwere-Flak.Abt. 639 was credited, this battery consisted of 4 8.8cm Flak 37 guns

Boeing B-17F, 42-31013

B-17F-130, s/n 42-31013, "Myasam Dragon" [formerly ""Ole Casey Jones"], England, after a mission over Brunswick, Germany

 

Left to right

 

2nd Lt. Charles A. Huggins - bombardier

T/Sgt. Jack B. Kalman - radio operator

 

The aircraft was lost on a mission to Regensburg, Germany on 21 July 1944. The aircraft crashed at Havel, Germany with the loss of the entire crew

Boeing B-17F, 42-29921

Boeing B-17F-75, s/n 42-29921, "Oklahoma Okie", 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, Bassingbourne, England. 16 June 1943

 

 

Crew members, left to right

 1st Lt. James Lundy - bombardier

S/Sgt. Elmer L. Frederick - waist gunner

Lt. Winfield Scovell - navigator

 

 

S/Sgt. Arnold B. Musum - ball turret gunner

 

 

Capt. Leonard Cox - pilot

 

S/Sgt. Edward L. Lawler - gunner

T/Sgt. William G. Dickson - gunner

 

 

Ground crew doing checks on "Oklahoma Okie", Bassingbourne, England.  24 August 1943







Boeing B-17F, 42-5243

B-17F-40 BO, s/n 42-5243, "F.D.R.'s Potato Peeler Kids", 303rd Bombardment Group, 359th Bombardment Squadron, England, 18 February 1943

 

Crew from left to right

Standing

Capt. Ross C. Bales - pilot*

2nd Lt. Walter Eppes Dooley - co-pilot*

2nd Lt. Paul M. Thomas - bombardier

2nd Lt. Richard C. Browning - navigator

kneeling

Sgt. Homer T. Perkins - waist gunner

S/Sgt. Raymond K. Winter Jr. - engineer*

Sgt. Jack D. Snell - tail gunner*

S/Sgt. Raymond H. Kilgore - radio operator*

S/Sgt. Joseph G. "Zip" Zsampar - ball turret gunner*

 

*crew lost on 14 May 1943

 

This aircraft was lost over the North Sea on a mission with the target of Kiel on 14 May 1943 with the loss of all crew members.

 

Martin B-26 41-18285

Martin B-26B-10-MA Marauder, s/n 41-18285, "Lady Katy", 319th Bombardment Group, 417th Bombardment Squadron, Rufisque Airfield, Rifisque, French West Africa, June 1943

 

 

Nose art

Martin B-26, 41-34868

B-26C-10-MO, 41-34868, s/n 41-34868, "Zero-4", 437th Bomb Squadron, 319th Bomb Group, Corsica

 

 

Crew from left to right:

Capt. Richard C. Bushee - pilot
Capt. Robert S Whitten - bombadier
1Lt Blake H. Palmer - co-pilot
T/Sgt. Leo F. Walker - engineer/cerw chief/gunner
T/Sgt. Al J. Rosenblum - radio operator/gunner
T/Sgt. Charles A. Vannoy - tail gunner

 

 

This aircraft survived 146 missions, shot down 5 enemy aircraft and destroyed one surface ship

Republic P-47, 42-27910

P-47D-23-RA 42-27910, "Hun Hunter XIV", Lt. Col. Gilbert "Gil" O. Wymond, 65th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, at Alto Air Base, Corsica

 

Here Lt. Col. William Wyler, director of the color documentary "Thunderbolt", gives direction to Lt. Col. Wymond and his Crew Chief. This documentary was shot by the 12th Army Air Force Combat Camera Unit.

 

Nose art, photo from a different time frame

 

 

 

Martin B-26, 41-31773

B-26B-25-MA, s/n 41-31773, "Flak Bait", 449th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, Belgium

 

Here we see the crew after the B-26 has come back from its 200th mission

From left to right, standing

Col. John S Samuel (322nd BG CO) - co-pilot

Capt. William G Fort - pilot

T/Sgt. William J Hess - tail gunner

sitting

1st Lt. William D Brearly - bombardier

T/Sgt. Cecil Fisher - radio operator/gunner

T/Sgt. Kenneth Locke - engineer/gunner

1st Lt. Arthur D Perkins

 

 

Crew Chief S/Sgt. Clair G. Goodrich receives congratulations from Squadron Commanding Officer Maj. John C. Ruse after the aircraft returned from its 200th mission

 

 

 

"Flak Bait" returns after its 200th mission

 

During the course of its service life of 202 missions, with bombing runs over France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, it was shot with over 1000 holes, twice returned with only one engine operating, once with an engine on fire and twice with the complete loss of its electrical and hydraulic systems. Its nose section is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum



Lockheed P-38, 42-68004

P-38J-15-LO, s/n 42-68004, "Moonlight Cock-Tail!", 393rd Fighter Squardon, 367th Fighter Group, Juvincourt airfield (A-68), France, Decmber 11th 1944

Pilot: 1st Lt. Clark R. "Doc" Livingston

 

He had arrived as a replacement pilot in May 1944, surviving the Group's heavy losses between June and August to become a steady, dependable flight leader.

On Decmeber 23rd 1944 this aircraft was shot down by a Bf 109 of Jagdgeschwader 77 in the area of Gelsdorf-Euskirchen, Germany. At the time the pilot was Capt. James B. Fishburn (O-429934), this was his first mission.

Boeing B-29, 44-69736

B-29-60-BW, s/n 44-69736, "Look Homeward Angel", 39th Bomb Squadron, 6th Bomb Group, Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto, August 11th 1945

 

Nose art

 

The First B-29 to land on Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto. It returning to its base on Guam, from a bombing mission over Japan, when it was forced to land on Bolo strip due to damage to engine #4. The engine was damaged by flak, which had cut the oil line and damaging the elevator and stabilizer. There also seemed to be less serious damage to engine #3.

 

It was the first B-29 to land on Bolo strip

 

 

Here maintenance men are seen replacing engine #3 on the aircraft. The crew was flown in to repair the plane with all possible speed.

Boeing B-29, 42-63561

B-29-30-BA, s/n 42-63561, "Ready Teddy" 5th Bomb Squadron, 9th Bomb Group, at the airfield on Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto

 

 

Consolidated B-24, 44-41466

 

B-24L-5-CO Liberator, s/n 44-41466,  "Bugs Bomby Jr." 42nd Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group, Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto. 27 July 1945.

The crew poses in front of their plane just in from a raid over Togoshima Marshalling Yards, Kyushu, Japan

 

 

Nose art

Republic P-47, 44-88223

P-47N-1-RE, s/n 44-88223, "Dotty", 464th Fighter Squadron, 507th Fighter Group, Ie Shima, Ryukyu Retto.

 

Nose art



Boeing XC-105, 35-277

Boeing XC-105, s/n 35-277, "GRANDPAPPY", 20th Troop Carrier Squadron, Panama
Crew:
(l to R, standing) 1st Lt. Roland S. Sawdey (navigator); Capt. Stanley J. Young (pilot); Capt. Fred L. Trickey (co-pilot)
(l to r kneeling) T/Sgt. Nelson K. Russell (engineer); M/Sgt. John A. Oshman (engineer); M/Sgt. Laird N. Rosborough (radio operator)

 

 

Nose art

 

 

The Boeing XB-15 (Boeing model # 294) was a prototype heavy bomber designed in 1934. When it entered operation it was assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Group. The first mission for the aircraft was a relief operation following the January 24th 1939 earthquake in Chile. The XB-15 was still an armed bomber until the guns were removed in late 1940, at which time it was used to ferry lend-lease aircrews back home after they delivered their aircraft. On May 6th 1943 the aircraft was converted into a transport plane and redesignated XC-105. By this time the aircraft had transferred to the 20th Troop Carrier Squadron. It continued to operate as a transporter until it was retired on December 18th 1944 and finally scrapped in June 1945. 

 

Republic P-47, 44-88104

 

P-47N, s/n 44-88104, "Sherman Was Right", 19th Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, August 1945. Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto
The halftrack in the foreground appears to be an M3A1

 

 

Nose art

Douglas C-53, 42-6478

C-53, s/n 42-6478, "Scarlett O'Hara", in the United States

Pvt. James McCoughey

The C-53 was the troop transport version of the C-47