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42-29640

B-17 Flying Fortress

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Delivered Cheyenne 23/1/43; Salina 7/2/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-X] Molesworth 26/3/43; 16m Missing in Action Gelsenkirchen 12/8/43 with Art Pentz, Co-pilot: Tom Mulligan, Bombardier: Russell Philpit (WIA), later re-patriated, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Dougherty, Radio Operator: Bob Murray, Ball turret gunner: Hurd Edwards, Waist gunner: Bob Horvarth, Waist gunner: George Howard, Tail gunner: Elmer Knudsen (9 Prisoner of War), Navigator: Ben Street (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed outskirts of Linnich, near Wuppertal, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 256. OL' IRONSIDES.

Service

Units

  • 8th Air Force

    8th Air Force


    Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...

  • 303rd Bomb Group

    303rd Bomb Group

    Group
    The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...

  • 359th Bomb Squadron

    359th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • John Dougherty

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Hurd Edwards

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides', Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Robert Horvath

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • George Howard

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Elmer Knudsen

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Thomas Mulligan

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Robert Murray

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Arthur Pentz

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Russell Philpit

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Benjamin Street

    Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
    Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29640 'Old Ironsides'. Killed in Action (KIA).

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 81

    12 August 1943
    This mission is separated into two elements. The first element is a combined force of 183 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division: 91BG (22); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are dispatched to bomb...

Places

  • Molesworth

    Military site : airfield
    Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...

Events

Event Location Date
Failed to Return (FTR) Germany 12 August 1943
Nicknames
Ol' Ironsides
Production block number
B-17F-65-BO Fortress
Manufacturer
Boeing
Markings and paint scheme/livery
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
10 January 2020 22:52:48 jmoore43 Changes to person associations
Sources

Removed a duplicate connection to "Arthur Pentz".
Date Contributor Update
10 January 2020 22:24:46 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space(s) to the A/C “Description” for readability.
Date Contributor Update
10 January 2020 22:15:07 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space to the A/C “Description” for readability.
Date Contributor Update
10 January 2020 21:52:21 jmoore43 Changes to nicknames
Sources

Corrected the case of the letters in the A/C nickname.
Date Contributor Update
10 January 2020 21:50:23 jmoore43 Changes to nicknames and unit associations
Sources

Added the nickname mentioned in the A/C “Description”. Added a connection to 8th AF.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:23 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 256 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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