42-29666 Dearly Beloved
B-17F 42-29666 'Dearly Beloved' was delivered at Cheyenne 30-Jan-43; Salina 14-Feb-43; Barksdale 22-Feb-43; Morrison 5-Mar-43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-O] Thurleigh 25-Mar-43; 2 21-May-43 Aircraft sustained damage from flak over the target of the port facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany and then was attacked by fighters and ditched into the North Sea. The crew were able to get in life rafts and were rescued by a British minesweeper the next day. Set a record of downing 11 enemy aircraft before ditching. 10RTD No MACR issued
P 1Lt Robert H Smith (RTD); CP 2Lt Robert McCallum (RTD)
N 2Lt Daniel J Barberis (RTD); B/TOG SSgt Wayne J. Gray (RTD)
E/TTG TSgt Bennett F. Buchanan (RTD) RO TSgt Hendrik Kate (RTD)
BTG SSgt Arthur R. Adrian (RTD); WG SSgt Clarence W. Durham (RTD)
WG Unknown; TG SSgt Billy J. Lamb (RTD)
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- 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: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-885904
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Missions
- Date: 21 May 1943
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Ditched |
Brown Ridge | 21 May 1943 | Ditched into the North Sea because of damage from flak and fighters. All Rescued. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 11-Feb-2015. Added Map location to Ditching event, converted dates in Description to military-style signification.
Lee Cunningham 11-Feb-2015. Added nickname, markings, added crew position, rank, full proper name and dispositions, added Description details per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Satn Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Made connection to Squadron, Place and Mission within existing website data; formatted crew display.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database