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Page 17 of the 93rd Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
B-24D 41-23745 "Katy Bug" was assigned to the 93BG/328BS at Alconbury. On 18-Nov-1942 it was despatched on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Upon return the pilot strayed out of the landing pattern and was forced to make a go-around. During that maneuver the #1 and #2 engines cut out and the pilot, 2Lt Alfred Asch, attempted to make a landing at Little Stukeley, about a mile west of the base, but the right wing struck a tree and the aircraft crashed killing four of the crew. 4KOM 6RTD.
P 2Lt Alfred Asch (RTD); CP 2Lt Delbert H. Hall (RTD)
N 2Lt Oscar R. Krebs (RTD); B 2Lt Howard R. Gilbert (KOM)
E/TTG TSgt David C. Miller (KOM); RO TSgt Clarence A. Witmer (RTD)
BTG SSgt Woodrow B. Murphy (KOM); WG SSgt John E. Collins (KOM)
WG SSgt William E. Austin (RTD); Sgt Howard R. Titus (RTD)
Service
Units
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Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
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People
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Military | Colonel | Pilot | 455th Bomb Group
Flew in WW II, Korea. Served from Sept 1941 to April 1968. 18-November-1942, while serving as Pilot on B-24D 41-23745 "Katy Bug' sustained a collision with a tree when engine failure resulted in a crash landing at Little Stukeley, 4 crew members killed...
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Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as a Waist Gunner on B-24D 41-24745 'Katy Bug' his aircraft sustained the failure of two engines and crashed into a tree while attempting an emergency landing at Little Stukeley. 4 crew members were killed. SSgt Austin was uninjured and...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Killed on Mission (KOM) while serving as a Waist Gunner on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug' on 18-Nov-42. His aircraft sustained engine failures on two engines and crashed into a tree while attempting an emergency landing at Little Stukeley. 3 other crew...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 93rd Bomb Group
Killed on Mission (KOM) 18-Nov-42 while serving a Bombardier on B24D 41-23745 ' Katy Bug' when the aircraft sustained failure of two engines while attempting a landing at Little Stukeley and struck a tree. 3 other crew members were also killed. The...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as Co-Pilot on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug" on 18-Nov-42 his aircraft crashed as a result of engine failure and struck a tree while attempting a landing at Little Stukeley. 4 crew members were killed. Lt Hall was not injured and RTD.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as Navigator on B-24D 41-23745 "Katy Bug' on 18-Nov-42 the aircraft sustained an engine failure on two engines and struck a tree when attempting a landing at Little Stukeley.4 crew members killed and the aircraft was salvaged on 27-Nov...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug' on 18-Nov-1942 the aircraft sustained engine failure on two engines and attempted an emergency landing at Little Stukeley but struck a tree and crashed. 3 other crew members were...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
Killed on Mission (KOM) while serving as Ball Turret Gunner on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug' on 18-Nov-42 his aircraft sustained failure of two engines and crashed into a tree while attempting to make an emergency landing at Little Stukeley. 3 other crew...
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Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as Tail Gunner on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug' his aircraft sustained the failure of two engines and crashed into a tree while attempting an emergency landing at Little Stukeley. 4 crew members were killed. Sgt Titus was uninjured and...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as Radio Operator on B-24D 41-23745 'Katy Bug' 18-Nov-1942, his aircraft sustained the failure of two engines and attempted an emergency landing at Little Stukeley, but the aircraft struck a tree and crashed. 4 crew members were killed....
Missions
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18 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed...
Places
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Military site : airfield
Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Crashed |
Little Stukeley, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK |
18 November 1942 |
Crashed at Little Stukeley when the right wing struck a tree.
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