Delivered Cheyenne 20/7/44; Kearney 28/7/44; Grenier 9/8/44; Assigned 860BS/493BG Debach 11/8/44; battle damaged Merseburg 2/11/44 with Joe Gualano, cp?, Stan Lucia, Arthur Etter, Ray Butler, Paul Backer, Bob Johnson, Fred Townsend, Travis Jones (8 Returned to Duty); Harry Thomas lwg (Killed in Action); force landed St Trond, Bel. Returned to the USA Bradley 7/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 9/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 9/12/45. HANK'S BOTTLE.





The name "Hank's Battle" is found in the personal diaries of 2 veteran's of the 493rd BG. S/Sgt Manley Abbott refers to "Hank's Battle Wagon" "Shunter F" (860 BS, RCL F) Whilst S/Sgt Beverly Berry refers to "Hank's Battle" (it is possible the full name had not yet been painted on the aircraft at the time) Both men flew the aircraft on combat missions.

It is possible that the aircraft was named in honour of S/Sgt Harry F Thomas, waist gunner, who was KIA whilst crewing the aircraft on 2nd November 1944 with the Lt Joseph Gualano crew.