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B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24525) nicknamed "WHAT'S COOKIN' DOC?"
Assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-O] Presque Is 22/9/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/9/42; transferred 547BS/384BG [SO-Y] Grafton Underwood 14/10/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Walter Ernest Garner, Co-pilot: Philip Bern, Bombardier: James Daigle, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Russell Hawk, Radio Operator: William Edmiston, Ball turret gunner: Edward Rardon, Waist gunner: Charles Hays,Tail gunner: Jack Anderson (8 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Guy Canale, Waist gunner: Charles Hannah (2 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Port-le-Grand, four miles NW of Abbeville, France. Missing Air Crew Report 1608. WHAT'S COOKING DOC?
Service
Units
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Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
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People
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Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Evaded (EVD). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?'Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR. Stalag Luft I.
PH/ POW
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Killed in Action (KIA). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
PH
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #41-24525 'What's Cooking Doc?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, France. Missing Air Crew Report #1608
POW
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'WHAT'S COOKIN' DOC?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, France. Missing Air Crew Report 1608
POW
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Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Killed in Action (KIA). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-24525 'What; s Cooking Doc?' Prisoner of War (POW). Crashed at Port-le-Grand, FR.
POW
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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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14 October 1943
This was the 2nd mission flown against the ball bearing industry at Schweinfurt, Germany and was as equally disastrous as that flown on 17-Aug-43. It came to be known as "Black Thursday". While fighter escort was dispatched, bad weather and lack of...
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16 November 1943
This mission was directed at targets in Norway. It was composed of three elements. The first element was a combined force of 189 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 384BG (21); 303BG (20); 379BG (22); 351BG (20); 91BG (20); 381BG (22); 305BG ...
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29 November 1943
This is another massive raid on Bremen, Germany by a force of 360 B-17s. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 182 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 94BG (40); 95BG (20); 96BG (41); 100BG (20);...
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1 December 1943
This mission was directed at the industrial areas of Leverkusen and Solingen, Germany. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 221 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (27); 92BG (18); 303BG (17);...
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5 December 1943
This mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 216 B-17 from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (10); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 351BG (35); 379BG (21); 381BG (30); 384BG (20); and 301BG (20)...
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11 December 1943
This mission is a massive raid of 583 heavy bombers on the industrial areas of Emden, Germany. The first element is a combined force of 242 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (24); 92BG (18); 303BG (20); 305BG (21); 306BG (20); 351BG (40)...
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13 December 1943
The port areas at Bremen and Kiel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. This is the first mission where more than 600 aircraft are despatched. This mission is comprised of 8 elements. The first element consists 182 B-17s from: 91BG (31);...
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16 December 1943
This is a massive mission of 631 heavy bombers directed at the port area of Bremen, Germany. The force of 631 included 1 PFF-equipped B-17s from 482BG dispersed among the attacking formations. The mission is composed of three elements. The first...
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20 December 1943
The port area of Bremen is the target for 546 heavy bombers. The total includes 12 PFF-equipped B-17s from 482BG. All 12 of these are effective on the target and 11 are damaged. The bomber gunners of this element claim 1-1-0 (this total included with...
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Places
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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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Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Assigned |
Grafton Underwood Airfield, UK |
14 October 1943 |
384BG
547BS
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Shot Down |
Port-le-Grand, France |
7 January 1944 |
Failed to Return
Comments: Left formation after bombing target. Most of crew bailed out near Abbeville, France; aircraft crashed near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, France; MACR 1608.
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