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41-31765

B-26 Marauder

  • Captain Howard M. Posson (Back row, third from the left) with the crew of

    Captain Howard M. Posson (Back row, third from the left) with the crew of "Fightin Cock", Serial Number 41-31765, Coded ER-X, 322nd BG, 450th BS, mostly likely taken at Bury St. Edmonds, England or Great Salig, Essex [Renamed Andrew Fied] circa early August 1943. In a letter Howard Posson wrote to his brother John, he said the following.... “I've got a new ship now and after a lot of sweating, cussing, and even thinking, we named it the Fightin' Cock. One of the fellows painted a chicken on the side and now we're all set. It's not a very good or original name, but it's hard to think of a good name for a plane. Remember how much trouble Freddie and I had trying to pick a name for the canoe and then never did find a good one. It's the same way with a plane only I've had five of them now and am about out of names. If you can think of one, send it to me together with an idea of a picture to go with it and I'll use it on my next plane. How bout some help brudder John?”

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  • Photo Center - B-26 Marauder 'Fightin Cock', Serial Nummer: 41-31765, Coded: ER-X, 322nd BG, 450th BG, 9 USAAF

    Photo Center - B-26 Marauder 'Fightin Cock', Serial Nummer: 41-31765, Coded: ER-X, 322nd BG, 450th BG, 9 USAAF

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  • Black and White Nose Art Detail for

    Black and White Nose Art Detail for "Fightin Cock", Serial Number 41-31765, Coded ER-X, specific pilot name, date and location is unknown.

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  • Black and White Nose Art Detail for

    Black and White Nose Art Detail for "Fightin Cock", Serial Number 41-31765, Coded ER-X, specific date and location is unknown.

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  • Left to Right: Captains Louis Sebille, Roland Scott, Howard Posson. All three took part in the first Marauder Combat. Scott lost an eye in the combat and Sebille was killed over Korea in 1950 but otherwise there is no record of any other deaths or injuries to any of the men. Three airmen of the 322nd Bomb Group at Andrews Field. Image via Roland Scott. Written on slide casing: Sebille, Scott & Posson, Andrews Field, 9/43, 322 BG.'

    Left to Right: Captains Louis Sebille, Roland Scott, Howard Posson. All three took part in the first Marauder Combat. Scott lost an eye in the combat and Sebille was killed over Korea in 1950 but otherwise there is no record of any other deaths or injuries to any of the men. Three airmen of the 322nd Bomb Group at Andrews Field. Image via Roland Scott. Written on slide casing: Sebille, Scott & Posson, Andrews Field, 9/43, 322 BG.'

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  • Captain Howard M. Posson

    Captain Howard M. Posson

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  • B-25 Marauder (ER-X, serial number 41-31765) nicknamed “Fightin’ Cock” of the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group.

    B-25 Marauder (ER-X, serial number 41-31765) nicknamed “Fightin’ Cock” of the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group.

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  • Close up of Martin Marauder B-26B 41-31765 ER-X

    Close up of Martin Marauder B-26B 41-31765 ER-X "Fightin Cock" 450BS, 322BG, 9AF.

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  • The nose art of a B-26 Marauder (serial number 41-31765) nicknamed

    The nose art of a B-26 Marauder (serial number 41-31765) nicknamed "Fightin' Cock" of the 322nd Bomb Group. US Air Force photo.

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  • BACK FROM RAID - Four airmen, who returned from attack on Ijmuiden, German-held port in Holland, recently, include left to right, Capt. Howard M. Posson, Fresno, Cal.; Staff-Sgt. Levoyde Grimes, St. Stephens, Ala.; 1st Lt. A.A. Sarkisian, Indiana Harbor, Ind., and Staff-Sgt. Dero E. Poynter of Los Angeles. They're at bomber base in England. Published in the Los Angeles Times April 20th, 1944 (Morning Edition)

    BACK FROM RAID - Four airmen, who returned from attack on Ijmuiden, German-held port in Holland, recently, include left to right, Capt. Howard M. Posson, Fresno, Cal.; Staff-Sgt. Levoyde Grimes, St. Stephens, Ala.; 1st Lt. A.A. Sarkisian, Indiana Harbor, Ind., and Staff-Sgt. Dero E. Poynter of Los Angeles. They're at bomber base in England. Published in the Los Angeles Times April 20th, 1944 (Morning Edition)

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Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF.
Serial Number: 41-31765
Coded: ER-X
Block Production Number:B-26B-20-MA
Manufacturer: Martin
Nickname: Fightin Cock - In a letter Capt. Howard M. Posson wrote to his brother John on August 6, 1943, he said the following....“I've got a new ship now and after a lot of sweating, cussing, and even thinking, we named it the Fightin' Cock. One of the fellows painted a chicken on the side and now we're all set. It's not a very good or original name, but it's hard to think of a good name for a plane. Remember how much trouble Freddie and I had trying to pick a name for the canoe and then never did find a good one. It's the same way with a plane only I've had five of them now and am about out of names. If you can think of one, send it to me together with an idea of a picture to go with it and I'll use it on my next plane. How bout some help brudder John?”

**A YEAR LATER THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT OCCURED**

This aircraft was written-off after crash-landing on 12th August 1944. It had received flak damage while over Flers, France and had its electrical system, generators and hydraulic systems shot out. The crew nursed it back to the base (Great Saling, Essex, USAAF St 485 [Renamed Andrews Field]) and got the gear cranked down after which the pilot ordered the enlisted men to bail out. While trying to land the plane skidded off the runway and into the control tower, killing both pilots. MACR 15747.

Crew:

2nd Lt. John R. Walker, Jr. - Pilot (O-814603) KIA
2nd Lt. Bruce Taylor - Co-Pilot (O-764829) KIA
S/Sgt. Ernest Pilot - Togglier (16108300) RTD on 8/25/44
Sgt. George E. Peterson - Engineer/Gunner (36650962) RTD on 8/25/44
Sgt. John B. Hill - Radio Operator/Gunner (16119103) EUS
Sgt. Marvin E. Vogt - Tail Gunner (37527425) RTD

Service

Aircraft

Units

  • 9th Air Force

    9th Air Force

  • 322nd Bomb Group

    322nd Bomb Group

    Group
    The 322nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) was activated on 19-Jun-1942 at MacDill Field, Florida with B-26B Marauder aircraft. In late September 1942 the unit moved to Drane Field, Florida. The Ground echelon sailed for the UK aboard the Queen Elizabeth...

  • 450th Bomb Squadron

    450th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • John Hill

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator/Gunner | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged B-26 41-31765, ordered to bail out over base. A/C crashed fatally, Evacuated to United States (EUS) 25-Aug-44. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • George Peterson

    Military | Sergeant | Engineer / gunner | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged B-26 41-31765, ordered to bail out over base. A/C crashed fatally, Returned to Duty (RTD) on 25-Aug-44. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Ernest Pilot

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Bombardier | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged A/C B-26 41-31765, ordered to bail out over base. A/C crashed fatally, Returned to Duty (RTD) on 25-Aug-44. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Howard Posson

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 322nd Bomb Group
    Howard M. Posson hailed from Fresno California. He was one of four children. Howard served with the 322nd Bomb Group/450th Bomb Squadron, 8th/9th Air Force in the European Theater of Operations. He received ground school training at the San Antonio...

  • Bruce Taylor

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged A/C, ordered enlisted men to bail out. While trying to land the plane, skidded off the runway and into the control tower. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15747. ...

  • Marvin Vogt

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged B-26 41-31765, ordered to bail out over base. A/C crashed fatally, Returned to Duty (RTD) on 25-Aug-44. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • John Walker

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bomber pilot | 322nd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Returned to base in severely battle damaged A/C, ordered enlisted men to bail out. While trying to land the plane skidded off the runway and into the control tower. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15747. ...

Places

  • Andrews Field

    Military site : airfield
    The base was known as Great Saling when construction – by US Army engineers – began in 1942 but was renamed Andrews Field in honour of the memory of Gen. Frank M. Andrews, who was killed when the B-24 he was travelling in crash-landed in Iceland on 3...

  • Bury St Edmunds

    Military site : airfield
    The airfield was purpose-built for American bomb groups and as such had a 2,000 yard main runway that lain in concrete with a tarred and wood-chipped surface. The scale of bases such as this meant that very often the technical, administrative and...

Events

Event Location Date
Manufactured Offutt AFB, NE, USA 1943 – 12 August 1944

Built at Martin.
Delivered Nebraska, USA 1943

Delivered to USAAF.
Assigned Andrewsfield Aviation Ltd, Saling Airfield Stebbing Great Dunmow Essex CM6 3TH, United Kingdom 1943

Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF.
6 August 1943

In a letter Howard Posson wrote to his brother John, he said the following....

“I've got a new ship now and after a lot of sweating, cussing, and even thinking, we named it the Fightin' Cock. One of the fellows painted a chicken on the side and now we're all set. It's not a very good or original name, but it's hard to think of a good name for a plane. Remember how much trouble Freddie and I had trying to pick a name for the canoe and then never did find a good one. It's the same way with a plane only I've had five of them now and am about out of names. If you can think of one, send it to me together with an idea of a picture to go with it and I'll use it on my next plane. How bout some help brudder John?”
Combat damaged 61100 Flers, France 12 August 1944

Battle damaged. Hit by flak over target, Flers France.
Crashed Andrewsfield Aviation Ltd, Saling Airfield Stebbing Great Dunmow Essex CM6 3TH, United Kingdom 12 August 1944

Fatal crash at base, flak damaged with failed hydraulics, departed runway and crashed into control tower killing both pilots. MACR 15747.
Nicknames
"Fightin' Cock"
Production block number
B-26B-20-MA
Manufacturer
Martin
Markings and paint scheme/livery

Coded ER-X.
Fighting Cocks Head.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
23 February 2021 00:33:27 PossonNephew Changes to description, aircraft associations and place associations
Sources

Howard M. Posson family letter/photo, American Air Museum website, aircraft database at www.markstyling.com
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2021 21:58:07 PossonNephew Changes to events
Sources

Family wartime letters/correspondence
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2021 21:56:21 PossonNephew Changes to events
Sources

Family war time letters/correspondence
Date Contributor Update
18 May 2017 19:30:23 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, description, events and place associations
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmsn.asp?SN=41-31765&Submit6=Go
https://www.fold3.com/image/47350050
https://cfrankdavis.wordpress.com/2017/02/12/bandeirantes-beach/
Date Contributor Update
22 October 2014 09:47:28 Superman Changes to nicknames, unit associations and place associations
Sources

MACR
Date Contributor Update
22 October 2014 09:44:50 Superman Changes to markings and events
Sources

MACR report
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:06 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 15747 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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