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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- 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
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 13 June 1943
- Date: 11 June 1943
- Date: 29 May 1943
- Date: 17 May 1943
- Date: 15 May 1943
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. |