42-102937 Ready Freddie
Delivered Cheyenne 20/4/44; Kearney 16/5/44; Grenier 27/5/44; Assigned to the 412th Bomb Squadron/95th Bomb Group as [QW-E]. Based at Horham 30/5/44; non-operation crash, pilot given permission to land at Duxford airfield, UK 19/7/44, to pick up others. When pilot buzzed tower but clipped a warning beacon, it rolled over on its back and hit an 83rd Fighter Squadron barrack; with Jim Sasser, Co-pilot: Vic Mintz, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Francis Bradburn, Radio Operator: Jim Heil; the rest were 78th Fighter Group personnel; Lt Martin Smith, Lt John Putnam, ncos-Wilbur Edwards, Don French, John Gorman, John Hamilton, Tony Loguidice, Ellsworth Seecz, Frank Wojicki, Ernie Taylor (total 14 men Killed in Service); ncos-Ray Robertson, Oscar Severson (2 Wounded In Service); Salvaged 21/7/44. READY FREDDIE.
Account of the July accident: http://blogs.iwm.org.uk/historic-duxford/
Further information on the crash: http://www.ulongbeach.com/B17_Crash_Sasser.html
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: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13143475
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 79th Service Group 84th Service Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37135612
- Role/Job: PS
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 79th Service Group 84th Service Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37087706
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: PS
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 66th Fighter Wing 1671st Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
- Service Numbers: 19068190
- Highest Rank: Other
- Role/Job: Tec5
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 66th Fighter Wing 23rd Station Complement Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13154468
- Highest Rank: Corporal (RAF)
- Role/Job: PS
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: "Duckpond"
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Manchester Airport, New Hampshire
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Cheyenne Airport : Jerry Olson Field
Missions
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Crashed |
19 July 1944 | non-operation crash, pilot given permission to land at Duxford airfield 19/7/44, to pick up others. When pilot buzzed tower but clipped a warning beacon, it rolled over on its back and hit an 83rd Fighter Squadron barrack. | |
Other Salvaged |
21 July 1944 | Salvaged 21/7/44. |
Revisions
List of men killed in the crash - source: Records of 78th Fighter Group USAAF at Duxford, 1943 - 1945 (IWM Documents.10395 - http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030010237 )
Account of loss of 'Ready Freddie' ( http://blogs.iwm.org.uk/historic-duxford/ ) taken from Records of 78th Fighter Group USAAF at Duxford, 1943 - 1945 (IWM Documents.10395 - http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030010237 )