42-37762 Chaplain's Office
384th BG - 545th BS
Object Number - UPL 45680 - B-17G-10-DL #42-37762 "Chaplain's Office" Code: JD-A 384th BG - 545th BS
Delivered Denver 20/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 303BG Molesworth 22/10/43; transferred 545BS/384BG [JD- ] Grafton Underwood 1/11/43; Missing in Action Bremen 26/11/43 with Charles Zitnik, Co-pilot: Dick Teevan, Navigator: Rodney Helms, Bombardier: Frank Pelley, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tony Roberto, Radio Operator: Lew McNatt, Waist gunner: Florian Protasiewicz, Waist gunner: Edgar Strauss, Tail gunner: Clarry Lehmann (9 Prisoners of War), Ball turret gunner: Bob Rimmer (KIA-chute caught up and smashed against hangar in crash landing); enemy aircraft, crashed Zweischenahn naval base near Bremen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 1580. CHAPLAIN’S OFFICE.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20155110; O-674707
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36527903
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 26 November 1943
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Delivered |
Denver, CO | 20 August 1943 | |
|
Assigned |
RAF Molesworth | 22 October 1943 | 303BG |
|
Assigned |
Grafton Underwood Airfield, UK | 1 November 1943 | 384BG 545BS |
|
Other Shot Down/Crash Landed |
Zweischenahn, Germany | 26 November 1943 | 2Lt. Charles A. Zitnik's ship Chaplain's Office suffered heavy damage near Zwischenahn and fell out of the 545th Bomb Squadron formation. During the heavy fighting, ball turret gunner S/Sgt. Robert H. Rimmer, Jr., sustained severe injuries. 2Lt. Zitnik (a check out pilot on this mission) and bombardier Frank A. W. Pelley spotted a German airfield and flew the gravely wounded B-17 in several circuits over the field as the crew bailed out. When Rimmer jumped, his parachute shrouds snagged on the open bomb bay doors. 2Lt. Pelley tried vainly to pull Rimmer inside the aircraft. As 2Lt. Zitnik skimmed over the buildings below, Rimmer finally fell free. Unfortunately, he died after colliding with a hangar, his parachute partially deployed. Zitnik and Pelley brought Chaplain's Office in for a belly landing on the German airfield at Zwischenahn. The surviving nine crewmen became prisoners of war. The Bremen mission was the Teevan's crew first mission. Original copilot 2Lt. Robert L. Barad completed his tour in May 1944. Barad was not on-board 26 Nov 43. |
Revisions
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1580 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
