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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/3/44; Kearney 15/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 533BS/381BG [VP-U] Ridgewell 21/5/44; Missing in Action 23m Peenemunde with Frank O'Black, Co-pilot: Bob Karch, Navigator: Francis Treanor, Bombardier: Herb Higginbotham, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gene Beck, Radio Operator: Wesley Rich, Ball turret gunner: Ollie Brown, Waist gunner: Bill Rich,Tail gunner: Bernie Fridberg (9INT); flak, bombs salvoed over Denmark, force landed Bulltofta, Sweden; Missing Air Crew Report 7552. Left 4/6/45 and Returned to the USA Bradley 13/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Independence 16/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 13/12/45. YARDBIRD.
Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
INT Had mechanical failure and landed in Sweden on 7/18/44 in B-17 Yardbird #42102663
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
INT Had mechanical and landed in Sweden in B-17 Yardbird #42102663 on 7/18/44
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
May - July 1944. Crashed in Sweden 18 July 1944 in AC #42102663. 'Yardbird' Interned. Had flown 25 missions
DFC/ Air Medal
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 381st Bomb Group
Had mechanical failure and landed in Sweden on 7/18/44 in B-17 Yardbird #42-102663, INT.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
INT Had mechanical failure and landed in Sweden on 7/18/44 in B-17 Yardbird #42102663
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Military | Radio Operator | 381st Bomb Group
OBlack, F. Crew, Interned Sweden
Military | Right Waist Gunner, Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer, Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
INT Had mechanical failure and landed in Sweden on 7/18/44 in B-17 Yardbird #42102663
OBlack, F. Crew, Interned Sweden
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
INT Had mechanical failure and landed in Sweden on 7/18/44 in B-17 Yardbird #42102663
Military site : airfield
Built during 1941-42 as an RAF bomber station, Ridgewell operated as a satellite to RAF Stradishall until May 1943. It had three concrete runways, initially 36 pan hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. Taken over by the Eighth Air Force in June...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 18 July 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:40:11 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 7552 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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