42-29863 Kentucky Babe aka Ain’t it Gruesome
Military and Family Records
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/43; Denver 1/3/43; Gore 12/3/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 509BS/351BG [RQ-Y] Polebrook 16/4/43; Missing in Action 43m Frankfurt 11/2/44 with Capt John Carson, Co-pilot: Merlyn Rutherford*, Radio Operator: John Landers*, Ball turret gunner: Dave Lynch, Waist gunner: Jim Riley, Tail gunner: Joe Richey, foto-Stan Sokolowski (7 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Henry Heldman, Bombardier: Bill Spinning, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Haywood (3 evaded capture); Waist gunner: Rich Howard (Killed in Action); flak hits then enemy aircraft KO’d #3 plus other damage, crashed a mile S of Inval-Boiron, 12 miles NW of Poix-de-Picardie, Fr. (Book by Ken Harbour/Pete Harris tells the story of how these two men escape). Missing Air Crew Report 2528. KENTUCKY BABE aka AIN’T IT GRUESOME.
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: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16029895 at enlistment, then O-735077
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot / Co-Pilot / Tail Gunner / Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron 509th Bomb Squadron 510th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-021528
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot; Pilot; Group Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Places
Missions
- Date: 24 August 1943
- Date: 17 August 1943
- Official Description:
- Date: 15 August 1943
- Date: 12 August 1943
- Date: 29 July 1943
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Belgium | 11 February 1944 |
Revisions
Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - “escape” was misspelled.
Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2528 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database