42-97797 Full House

media-18010.jpeg UPL 18010 The Full House (42-97797)

Picture from veteran Leo Makelky's collection - Mark Makelky

Object Number - UPL 18010 - The Full House (42-97797)

Delivered Denver 28/2/44; Kearney 18/3/44; Dow Field 7/4/44; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-H] Horham 8/4/44; transferred 336BS, (ET–H); 49m. 

Missing in Action Brandenburg 16/8/44 with: 
Pilot :Alan Hannum, 
Co-pilot: Ken Loehwing, 
Navigator: Gene Cantrell, 
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dick Kuna, 
Ball turret gunner: Fred Matthews, 
Waist gunner: Ned Tillson (6 Killed in Action). 
Bombardier: Angelo Genova, 
Radio Operator: Bill Purdy, 
Waist gunner: John Sharon - wia-335BS, 
Tail gunner: Leroy Presley (Prisoner of War). 

Flak KO’d #3 and part of wing, ship went down and was involved in mid-air collision with 42-37879, crashed Rehmsdorf, NE of Zeitz, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 8175. FULL HOUSE. 

This aircraft was flown by pilot George J Dancisin and his crew (including Leo Makelky as ball turret gunner) on 29+ combat missions from April until August of 1944. It was lost on 16-Aug-44 while in use by an alternate crew piloted by A E Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. 

Leo Makelky (ball turret gunner) and Larry Stevens (tail gunner) flew on this aircraft for most of their combat tour of duty - 29 of their 35 missions from April to August of 1944. After this plane's FOS (first operational sortie April 22, 1944) which was flown by a different pilot, it was pretty much assigned to pilot Lt. George Dancisin and his crew. 

The Dancisin crew was on leave after having flown 34 of their required 35 missions on August 16,1944 when the Full House was being used by a different crew piloted by Lt Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. A direct flak hit to the right wing caused the Full House to collide with another aircraft and both were lost. See MACR 8175 (missing air crew report) 

The Dancisin crew returned from leave and flew their 35th and final mission on a new B-17G #43-38067 named "Big Chief Illiniwek" by their crew chief. That date was August 25, 1944 and the mission was to Politz. 
 

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14132490 / O-698258
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
Technical Sergeant Alyre J Comeau, a radio operator of the 95th Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling Boys", August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: 'T/Sgt Comeau radio operator 412 BS.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31282677
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
Lieutenant George J "Danny" Dancisin a pilot of the 95th Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling Boys", August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: '1/Lt Dancisin Pilot 412 BS.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12093815 / O-?
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
Mark Gilles
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Air Division 13th Combat Bomb Wing 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (13th Combat Bomb Wing)
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot/Instructor/Evaluator/SquadronCC

Places

Missions

  • Date: 16 August 1944
  • Date: 12 August 1944
Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane.  Five men standing to the rear and six men kneeling in front.  Some of the men are  wearing  flying gear.  There is also some gear lying in front of the men.
  • Date: 8 August 1944

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Wrinkled Belly Baby
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Failed to Return (FTR)

16 August 1944 - 16 August 1944 Missing in Action Brandenburg 16/8/44. Flak KO’d #3 and part of wing, ship went down and was involved in mid-air collision with 42-37879, crashed Rehmsdorf, NE of Zeitz, Germany. (4 x POW, 6 x KIA) Missing Air Crew Report MACR8175.

Revisions

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Contributoracbernstein1
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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Contributorjmoore43
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Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorFullHouse
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Corrected nose art cards- MM

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Moved 'Source' information to Biography.

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorFullHouse
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This update comes from information and pictures from my father, Leo Makelky (ball turret gunner) and Larry Stevens (tail gunner) who flew on this aircraft for most of their combat tour of duty - 29 of their 35 missions from April to August of 1944. After this plane's FOS (first operational sortie April 22, 1944) which was flown by a different pilot, it was pretty much assigned to pilot Lt George Dancisin and his crew containing my father and tail gunner Stevens. The Dancisin crew was on leave after having flown 34 of their required 35 missions on August 16,1944 when the Full House was being used by a different crew piloted by Lt Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany. A direct flak hit to the right wing caused the Full House to collide with another aircraft and both were lost. See MACR 8175 (missing air crew report)

The Dancisin crew returned from leave and flew their 35th and final mission on a new B-17G #43-38067 named "Big Chief Illiniwek by their crew chief. That date was August 25, 1944 and the mission was to Politz.

Aircraft and mission information obtained from the book "Operational Record Of the 95th Bomb Group (H)" by Paul M. Andrews

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ContributorFullHouse
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This aircraft was flown by pilot George J Dancisin and his crew (including my father Leo Makelky as ball turret gunner) on 29+ combat missions from April until August of 1944. It was lost on August 16, 1944 while in use by an alternate crew piloted by A E Hannun on a mission to Zeitz Germany.

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ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 8175 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-97797: Gallery (3 items)