Delivered Cheyenne 15/2/43; Walker 27/2/43; Salina 10/3/43; Presque 5/4/43; Assigned 95BG SWEET 17 Framlingham17/4/43; transferred 338BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 18/4/43; Andrews Fd 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 533BS/381BG [VP-R] Ridgewell 14/7/43; Missing in Action 17m Bremen 8/10/43 with Jim Hartje, Co-pilot: Joe Jerome, Navigator: Edgar Norton, Bombardier: Joe Chenault, Radio Operator: Gerald LaPlace, Waist gunner: Ed Swackhamer,Tail gunner: Art Seiber (7 Prisoner of War), Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gene Kaseman, Ball turret gunner: Clayton Boykin, Waist gunner: Ed Czyz (3 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft set #2 & #3 on fire, crashed abot 25 miles from Bremen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 883. NIP ‘N TUCK.
Service
Units
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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...
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People
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Killed in Action (KIA). The pilot, 2Lt Hartje, reported hearing S/Sgt Boykin say his guns were...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 381st Bomb Group
Bombardier, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag VIIA.
Kentucky
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Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
LWG, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Killed in Action (KIA). The #2 and #3 engines were on fire. The waist gunners hadn't heard the...
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Military | Captain | Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Pilot, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag VIIA.
Illinois
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Co-pilot, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag XIIID.
Illinois
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 381st Bomb Group
ETTG, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Killed in Action (KIA). S/Sgt Kaseman was last reported bailing out of the plane. His body was...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 381st Bomb Group
Radio operator, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War at Stalag XVIIB.
Louisiana
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
Navigator, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 833. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag XIIID.
California
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
Tail gunner, Hartje crew. 381st G, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag XIIID.
Maryland
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
RWG, Hartje crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29765 'Nip and Tuck'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 883. Prisoner of War (POW).
Michigan
Missions
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8 October 1943
The shipyards and industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission, but cloud cover causes some formations to bomb targets of opportunity. The attacking elements have been summarized below:
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Places
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Military site : airfield
Built for the Eighth Air Force from 1942 to 43, Framlingham was home first to the 95th Bomb Group, before that unit moved to RAF Alconbury. From 1943 to 1945, it was operated by the 390th Bomb Group. The airfield was handed back to the RAF in 1945, and...
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Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
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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...
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Military site : airfield
Intended to be an RAF bomber base, construction of Snetterton Heath started in Autumn 1942 but continued until mid-1943, because it was extended after allocation as an Eighth Air Force bomber base. It had eventually three concrete runways, 50...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Failed to Return (FTR) |
Germany |
8 October 1943 |