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B-17 Flying Fortress
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30088) nicknamed "Squawkin' Hawk I" of the 100th Bomb Group, signed by personnel. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Thorpe Abbott. Home 17/5/44. 100th Bomb Group.' Printed caption on reverse: '53312AC - Proud Veteran Goes Home ... With hundreds of autographs on its sleek hull, the war-weary veteran Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Squawkin' Hawk I" is shown shortly before it took off from its 8th AAF bases in England to return to the U.S. for retirement. Covering 47,720 combat miles without one member of its personnel being injured and participating in 50 missions is the enviable record set by this veteran of the skies.'
B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.
Navigator Lt. Russell Engell's uniforms & B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia. memorabilia.
B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.
B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.
Extract from the first and only page of MACR 15553 linked to 42-30088 on the 5 November 1943 mission to Gelsenkirchen. Pilot Flesh gave the order to bail out. 8 men did so. Radio Operator Connor Brewster's parachute didn't open and he was killed. 4 others were immediately captured. 3 managed to evade with the help of the Belgian Comète evasion network.
Delivered Cheyenne 8/4/43; Kearney 16/4/43; Wendover 2/5/43; Hill 12/5/43; Wendover 18/5/43; Kearney 22/5/43; Dow Field 27/5/43; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-E] Thorpe Abbotts 9 June 1943. Severe battle damage over Stuttgart 6 September 1943 with Sumner Reeder, Navigator: Russell Engel - Wounded in Action, Bombardier: Peter F. Delao Jr], rest unknown; Co-pilot: Harry E. Edeburn (Killed in Action); but limped back to base Missing Air Crew Report 99906. Again suffered heavy damage 5 November 1943 on the Gelsenkirchen mission with William R. Flesh & Co-Pilot John G. Gossage (2 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Omar Gonzales, Bombardier: James J. Lux, Assistant Radio Operator/gunner: Francis G. Dolsen, Tail gunner: James Marasco (4 Prisoners of War); Radio Operator: Conner D. Brewster (KIA-chute failed); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Harold L. Pope, Waist Gunner George P. Gineikis, Waist Gunner Leon E. McDonald (3 evaded capture with the help of the Belgian Comète evasion network). Lt Flesh and his Co-Pilot Gossage managed to fly the plane back to England and landed at the RAF Tangmere airfield, Sussex [ Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 15553. ] Returned to the USA 17 May 1944; Hendricks 8 June 1944; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 13 December 1945. First aircraft in 100th Bomb Group to fly 50 missions. SQUAWKIN' HAWK II.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator / Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
Radio Operator Conner Brewster was killed by Flak inside B-17 42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II' on the Gelsenkirchen mission, November 5, 1943. Pilot William Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. Brewster's parachute failed to...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 100th Bomb Group
SWA in B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk' over Stuttgart, Sept. 6, 1943. Pilot was Capt. Sumner Reeder.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Assistant Radio Operator; Ball Turret Gunner
Francis Dolsen was Assistant Radio Operator on his 14th mission. On that mission, November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II', pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped,...
Military | Flight Officer | Co-Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Mortally wounded by 20mm cannon shell, despite wound, attempted on several occasions to assist pilot Lt Sumner Reeder with control of B-17 #42-5957 6-Sep-43. Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Lieutenant | Navigator
WIA in B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk' 6 Sept 1943. Pilot was Sumner Reeder.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
On a mission November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 #42-30088 "Squawkin' Hawk II", pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped, but pilot Flesh and Co-Pilot John G. Gossage were able to regain...
Military | Master Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
6 SEP 43 STUTTGART (LANDED RAF BASE WITH REEDER CREW). REC
Military | Technical Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner
On a mission November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II', pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped, but pilot Flesh and Co-Pilot John G. Gossage were able to regain...
Military | Captain | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). On a mission November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II', pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped, but pilot Flesh and Co-Pilot John G. Gossage...
Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot / Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down 24 September 1943 on a practice flight in B-17 #42-30259 'Damifino II'. Plane ditched in the North Sea. 5 Killed In Action; 5 rescued, Gossage among them - Missing Air Crew Report MACR 778. On a mission November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B...
5 November 1943
Having had good success with P-38 escorts and limiting penetration depth into Germany this mission is directed at the railroad marshaling yards and oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. In addition the marshaling yards at Munster, Germany are also...
Military site : airfield
Built during 1917-18 as an RAF Training Depot Station (TDS), Tangmere was handed over to the US Army Air Service (USAAS) as a TDS for large Handley Page (HP) 0/400 bombers.
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Military site : airfield
Home of the 'Bloody Hundredth’, a Bomb Group with a reputation for high casualty rates, Thorpe Abbotts was under USAAF control from June 1943 to the end of the war. Some of the airfield survives today, and the control tower houses the 100th Bomb Group...
Not yet known
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 22 April 2019 14:08:47 | ED-BB | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings and description |
| Sources | ||
MACR 15553 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 October 2018 12:02:49 | apollo11 | Changes to nicknames and markings |
| Sources | ||
Information gathered after visiting the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 June 2015 10:00:15 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to nicknames, person associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated people from MACR 15553 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:27 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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