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B-26 Marauder
B-26 Janets Dream Crew
B-26 Janets Dream
B-26B-15-MA 41-31629 was assigned to the 387BG/559BS at Chipping Ongar, UK. The aircraft was despatched on 2-Sep-43 to bomb the German airfield at Poix/Nord, France but the target was obsucred by clouds so the formation diverted to attack the airfield at Lille/Nord. The aircraft was hit by flak and exploded in mid-air near the target and crashed near Bergues, France. SSGT Hamilton, the Engineer/Gunner and SSGT George Hodgson were blown clear of the aircraft and managed to parachute to safetly but were captured as Prisoners of War. 4KIA 3POW
P 1LT William F. Vosburgh (KIA); CP 2LT Franklin W. Sommers (KIA)
N/B 1LT Andrew Ryan (KIA); RO TSGT August Restaino (KIA)
E/G SSGT James H. Hamilton (POW); TG SSGT George H. Hodgson
Group
The 387th Bomb Group flew just under thirty missions with the Eighth Air Force before being transferred to the Ninth Air Force in October 1943. The Group remained at Chipping Ongar, Essex after being reassigned and continued to hit targets in France....
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer/Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). 2-Sep-43 in B-26B 41-31629 'Janet's Dream' was on a mission to Lille/ Nord AF when the aircraft was hit by flak and exploded near French coast and crashed at Bergues, France. Hamilton and TG George Hodgson were blown clear to...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). Shot down 2-Sep-43 in B-26B #41-31629 'Janet's Dream' while serving as Tail Gunner. Aircraft was on a mission to bomb the German airfield of Lille/Nord AF when it was hit by flak and exploded near French coast, crashing at...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator/Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) on 2-Sep-43 in B-26B 41-31629 'Janet's Dream' while serving as Radio Operator. Aircraft was on a mission to bobm the German airfield at Lille/Nord, France. The aircraft was hit by flak and exploded near French coast near Bergues,...
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator; Bombardier | 387th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) on 2 September 1943 in B-26B 41-31629 'Janet's Dream' while serving as Navigator/Bombardier. The aircraft was on a mission to bomb the German airfield of Lille/Nord, France when the aircraft was hit by flak and exploded near...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA)on 2-Sep-43 in B-26B 41-31629 'Janet's Dream' while serving as Co-Pilot. The aircraft was on a mission to bomb the German airfield of Lille/Nord, France when it was hit by flak and exploded near French coast, crashing at Bergues,...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) on 2-Sep-43 in B-26B 41-31629 'Janet's Dream' while serving as Pilot. The aircraft was on a mission to bomb the German airfield of Lille/Nord, France when it was hit by flak and exploded near French coast crashing a Bergues, France.
2 September 1943
This mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a formation of 36-B-26s from 386BG despatched to bomb the power station at Rouen, France. The target is obscured by clouds, so the formation diverts to bomb the secondary target of the...
Military site : airfield
The air base was constructed by the 831st Engineer Battalion (Aviation) in late August 1942. The 387th Bomb Group were the only American group to be based there, flying B-26 Marauders in strategic missions over France, first for the Eighth and then for...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Bergues, France | 2 September 1943 |
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Circumstances Hit by flak at 12,000 feet at 6:50 p.m., the right engine explodes and causes, following the explosion, the separation of wings - Three bodies in the carcass could not be identified |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 26 October 2017 09:50:00 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to events |
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Merged with duplicate entry to include details from : Correction to event date. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2015 20:06:24 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 29-May-2015. Added crew position, rank, full proper name, dispostion and formatted crew display per Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 516. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2015 19:50:42 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, description, events and mission associations |
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Lee Cunningham 29-May-2015. Added Block Number, manufacturer, retitled FTR event, added crash location; edited Description per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 516. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 February 2015 03:50:16 | drh1957nb | Changes to place associations |
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Several websites |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 February 2015 23:03:35 | drh1957nb | Changes to unit associations |
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Service records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 February 2015 23:02:25 | drh1957nb | Changes to unit associations |
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Service records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 January 2015 07:46:48 | drh1957nb | Changes to events |
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Service records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 January 2015 06:04:26 | drh1957nb | Changes to markings and person associations |
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Service records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 January 2015 05:55:45 | drh1957nb | Changes to events |
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France Crashes 39-45 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 January 2015 05:28:57 | drh1957nb | Changes to place associations |
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Service records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 January 2015 08:25:54 | drh1957nb | Changes to person associations |
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Crew photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 January 2015 08:24:37 | drh1957nb | Changes to media associations |
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Service photo, Janets Dream |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 January 2015 08:23:25 | drh1957nb | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type and nicknames |
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Service photo |
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