42-5791 Ruthless

Delivered Long Beach 31/1/43; Salina 14/2/43; Kearney 12/3/43; Brookley 27/3/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-E] Horham 19/4/43; 412BS [QW-S]; 5m, transferred AFSC 6/43; on personnel ferry to Southport 29/12/43 with Alden Witt, Co-pilot: Bill Gaffney, Navigator: Howard Leddy, Bombardier: Alan Grant, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Kingsley Spitzer, Ball turret gunner: Wendell Verbulecz, plus passengers: Capts Louis Reno, Louis Green, Arvid Dahl, Lt Bob Moon, NCOs Roy Baughman, Ray Loija, Jim Leithhead, Dewey Cox, Harry Shade, Linus Thomas, Gene Downey and Andrew Mullavey (18 Killed in Service). In heavy overcast crashed Buckley, Flintshire, N. Wales. Salvaged. RUTHLESS.



A/C crew were on enroute to R&R whilst transferring tour expired personnel to departure port for return to States. Flying through heavy cloud cover and in freezing fog, the navigator relied on dead reckoning and maps, and when he thought they had reached the coast, the pilot descended out of the clouds but they were off course by four miles and still over mountainous terrain.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39830309
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 455th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 741st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13007515
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15017224
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-727183
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728349
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: On Board ; Passenger

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Buckley, Flintshire, UK 29 December 1943 On personnel ferry to Southport 29/12/43. In heavy overcast crashed Buckley, Flintshire, N.Wales. (18 x KOAS) No MACR.

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM DB Entry.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log