42-98007 Sleepy Time Gal

Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses including (serial number 44-6146) of the 401st Bomb Group, and of the 486th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'IN-R, 401BG.' A veteran has handwritten on reverse: 'Winter of 1944. This plane's bombardier was my best friend in high school. We joined the aviation cadets together in fall of 1942. Plane is from the 486th Bomb Group. It was struck in the rear by another plane in formation and tail gunner fell to his death over Germany. The Germans buried him and sent ph media-414274.jpg FRE 8097 Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses including (serial number 44-6146) of the 401st Bomb Group, and of the 486th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'IN-R, 401BG.' A veteran has handwritten on reverse: 'Winter of 1944. This plane's bombardier was my best friend in high school. We joined the aviation cadets together in fall of 1942. Plane is from the 486th Bomb Group. It was struck in the rear by another plane in formation and tail gunner fell to his death over Germany. The Germans buried him and sent photo to his parents of tomb-stone which gave his home address as Indianapolis, Illinois instead of Indiana. This plane landed at the crash-landing base in Southern England. Bombardier was 1st Lt. Delmar Claussen of Sioux Falls, So. Dakota. He claims to be a German ace as he bailed out once and crashed 4 times.' Roger Freeman Collection

Removed association tp person - not depicted in the image.

Object Number - FRE 8097 - Damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses including (serial number 44-6146) of the 401st Bomb Group, and of the 486th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on...

Delivered Dallas 30/4/44; Kearney 15/6/44; Dow Fd 30/6/44; Assigned 833BS/486BG [4N-E/D] Sudbury 4/7/44; on return from mission 10/11/44 with Henry Rapp, Bill O’Leary, Delmar Claussen, Bob Farver, Frank Eisenberg, Bernie Miller, Ed Schoonover, Dave King (8 Returned to Duty); Phil Scott (Killed in Action); (58m) Returned to the USA Bradley 7/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 28/8/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 11/12/45. SLEEPY TIME GAL.

Connections

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Units served with

A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32548911
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-2009072
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 10 November 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to media FRE 8097 per info in the Caption.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added quotes around the nickname.

Date
Contributorflyer17
Changes
Sources

386th website

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 10339 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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