41-24503 Pandora's Box
B-17F 41-24503 'Pandora's Box' assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-E] Bangor 30-August-42; Bassingbourn 29-September-42; Missing in Action 23-Nov-42 while flying as Group Lead on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Enemy aircraft shot out #3, and aircraft dropped back and crashed into the sea 30 miles northwest of St. Nazaire. 11KIA MACR 16162
P Maj Harold C. Smelser (Sqd CO) (KIA); CP Capt Duane L. Jones (KIA)
N 1Lt John S. Hemingway (KIA); B 2Lt Phillip K. Baxter Jr (KIA)
E/TTG TSgt Alvy G. Masters (KIA); RO TSgt Louis E Emerson (KIA)
BTG Sgt Fidel Hernandez (KIA); WG SSgt Doyt L. Watson (KIA)
WG Sgt John L. Boomer (KIA); TG Sgt Joseph Medved (KIA)
OBS Capt George C. Wahl, Jr. (KIA)
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727075
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36305914
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17015920
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-433981
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier, Bombardier; Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19039467
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 23 November 1942
- Official Description:
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 30-Nov-2014. Edited description and formatted crew information per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & john A. Hey MBE and MACR 16162.
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Edit crew names; add connections. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 16162.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 16162 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database