42-31763 Ten Horsepower
Associated aircraft
Delivered Denver 12/12/43; Gt Falls 16/12/43; Denver 21/12/43; Kearney 1/1/44; RAF Nutts Corner 14/1/44.
Assigned 510BS/351BG [TU-A] Polebrook 30/1/44.
Battle damaged Leipzig 20/2/44 with Pilot: Clarence Nelson [wia, but died in crash], Co-pilot: Roland Bartley KIA, Navigator: Walter Truemper post award, MOH, Ball turret gunner: Archie Mathies post award - MOH (4 Killed in Action). Bombardier: Joe Martin (Prisoner of War); Radio Operator: Joe Rex, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Carl Moore- award DSC, Waist gunner: Tom Sowell, Waist gunner: Russ Robinson, Tail gunner: Magnus Hagbo (5 Returned to Duty): awards for attempting to land aircraft with wounded man aboard after others bailed out, ship crashed near Gt. North Road at Glatton, Northamptonshire, UK nearby on fourth attempt to land at base.
On 20th February 1944, a Polebrook based USAAF B-17 'Flying Fortress' named "Ten Horsepower", on a mission over Leipzig in Germany, was attacked by a ME109 German fighter. A cannon shell exploded in the cockpit, killing the co-pilot F/O Bartley, and injuring the pilot, 2nd Lt. Nelson. The bomber then went in to a spiral dive. Top Turret gunner Sgt Carl W Moore came in to the cockpit and pulled the aircraft out of its death spiral. Moore flew the bomber back to England with the help of flight engineer and ball turret gunner, Staff Sgt. Archie Mathies and the Navigator, 2nd Lt. Walter Truemper. Many of the windows were missing, and they were attacked again during the return flight.
When they finally reached Polebrook Airfield, Sgt. Mathies made two unsuccessful attempts to land. He was then ordered to gain height so that all the crew could parachute down. Five of the crew jumped, Mathies and Truemper chose to stay with the pilot, Lt. Nelson who was still alive. In its final minutes, the B-17 was travelling too fast and it bounced, then hit the side of "Red Hill", disintegrated, and came to rest in front of the small wood on the summit of the hill. Mathies and Truemper died instantly. The injured pilot, Lt. Nelson, died shortly afterwards".
Connections
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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: Australian
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-122530
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-674704
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13012482
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Missions
- Date: 20 February 1944
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Crashed |
20 February 1944 |
Revisions
Valor at Polebrook book, Carl Moore’s award citation, and I am Carl’s grandson
Valor at Polebrook book. Carl W Moore’s DSC citation. I am the grandson of Carl Moore.
Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” for clarity.
Information provided by Keith Morris, Pathfinder Heritage Centre, RAF Wyton. Words and images by kind permission of Rick School (USA).
Further details from :
- 'Mighty Eighth War Diary', Roger A. Freeman.
- 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces' Vol 2, Bishop & Hey.