41-24558 Hunga Dunga
B-17F-25-BO 41-24558 [VK:F] "Hunga Dunga" was assigned to the 358BS/303BG [VK-F] at Bangor. Maine on 14-Oct-42; arrived at Molesworth, UK on 16-Oct-42; Missing in Action Vegasack 18-Mar-43 when it was attacked by enemy aircraft near Helgoland. Germany and flak near Wilhelmshaven, crashed on the flats on the Jadebusen (Jade Bight), near Wilhelmshaven, Germany on a mission to bomb the port facilities at Vegesack, Germany. The crew had been sent to the 303BG from the 92BG as a replacement crew. 5 KIA 5 POW Missing Air Crew Report 15149.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-789382
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
![Sergeant Bernard Aleys Gergash, of the 303rd Bomb Group, fills a water bucket. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238749.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '32a. Filling the bucket is Sgt. Bernard Aleys Gergash, of 1025 Union Ave., Chicago Heights. Aged 24, he worked as a radio operator with the C.A.A.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378924.jpg.webp?itok=OXfueaD3)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36302819
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O435772
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17033050
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
![Personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group play cards between raids. A censor has obscured the insignia on the airman's jacket. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], Passed for publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257513.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Standing on left watching a card game "somewhere in England", 2nd Lieut (Pilot) Richard L. Kruse, of 990 Clark Rd. Ypsilanti, Michigan, has a right to express his views on labour questions. Having won the Air Medal and two](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378844.jpg.webp?itok=4YkHobFO)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 661496
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
Missions
- Date: 27 February 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
![B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379113.jpg.webp?itok=PMFn3r3H)
- Date: 16 February 1943
- Date: 14 February 1943
- Date: 4 February 1943
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
18 March 1943 | CREWP 1LT Charles N. Austin (POW); CP 1LT Norbert B. Feldman (KIA)N 1LT Richard G. White (POW); B 1LT Robert A. Coltrane (KIA)E/TTG SSGT Samuel O. Snipes (POW); RO SGT Bernard A. Gergash (POW)BTG SSGT Alex Le Blanc (KIA); LWG SGT Eugene W. Eckard (POW)RWG SSGT Delbert Mikkelsen (KIA); TG SGT Fred O. Deal (KIA)Shot down by AA fire and fighters and crashed on the Jadebusen flats (Jade Bight) near Wilhelmshaven on a mission to bomb the submarine construction yards at Vegesack, Germany. |
Revisions
Added association to the 358BS listed in the description section for A/C #41-24558.
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015. Added Mission #17 event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 13-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015 Added Mission #16 event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 12-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015. Added Mission #15 event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 8-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/021.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015. Added Mission #14 event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 4-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015. Added Mission #14 event crew date per 303BG website Mission Report of 27-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 26-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Aug-2015 Added Mission #12 event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 26-Feb-43, Garu Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Aug-2015. Added Mission # 12 thru #17 to Description per 303BG website Mission Reports, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missions.html
Lee Cunningham 5-Aug-2015. Added Mission #11 to Descruption and Mission #11 Biography event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report of 16-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, HIstorian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 5-Aug-43 Added Mission #10 to Description and Mission #10 Biography event with crew data per 303BG website Mission Reports, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 5-Aug-43, Added Mission #9 to Decription and Mission #9 Event crew data per 303BG website Mission Report, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf
Lee Cunningham 5-Aug-2015. Added Mission #8 to Description and Mission #8 Event crew data per 303BG website Mission Reports, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf
Lee Cunningham 4-Aug-2015. Added Mission #7 to Description and Mission #7 crew data to Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/
Lee Cunnningham 4-Aug-2015. Added Mission #6 to Description and Mission #6 crew details to Biography per 303BG website, Mission Report od 13-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-2015 Added Mission #5 to Description and Mission #5 crew data to Biography per 303BG website, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-43. Added Mission #4 to Description and Mission #4 crew data to Biogrpahy per 303BG website, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42, Gary Moncyr, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-43. Added Mission 3# to Description and Mission #3 crew data to Biography per 303 BG website, Mission Repoert of 23 Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-2015. Added Mission #2 to Description and Mission #2 crew to Biography per 303BG website, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-2015. Added 17-Nov-43 Mission #1 and Biography Mission #1 crew list per 303BG website Mission Report of 17-Nov-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-2015. Added nickname, markings, edited Description, converting dates to military-style signification, and loaa and Mission details per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; made connection to Place within existing website data; Made connections to all mission participation based on 303rd Bomb Group Mission Reports 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missions.html; Added FTR event note per MACR 15149; Added crew position, rank, full proper name and disposition of crew members for 18-Mar-43 Mission and formatted crew display per MACR 15149.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15149 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database