| Serial Number: | 42-3317 |
| Name: | SPIRIT OF '76 |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-45-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*W |
| Start Date: | 10 June 1943. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | No combat missions flown with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 28 June 1943. Transferred: Sent to the 95th BG. |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-3317 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-3317 Delivered to Denver, Colorado [for modification] on 6 May 1943. Moved to Dow Field (Bangor Army Air Field), Bangor, Maine on 30 May 1943. Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group at Grafton Underwood, Station 106, UK on 10 June 1943. Transferred to the 412th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code QW-Y, 95th Bombardment Group at Horham, Station 119 on 28 June 1943. The aircraft was lost on its 23rd mission (MIA) to Solingen on 30 November 1943 with Pilot Arthur Hensler, Ball Turret Gunner Francis McDermott, Waist Gunner Paul Appleby, Waist Gunner Jack Hyatt (4 POW); Navigator Bill Lohmann Killed In Action (KIA) Lohman landed in the River Maas and his body was not recovered until 21 July 1944; Copilot Bob Gilchrist, Bombardier Paul Gregory, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Elmer Gilcrease, Radio Operator Max Gottlieb, Tail Gunner Charles Higgins, 5 evaded (EVD). The aircraft dropped back from formation, crashed at Sterrenbos, near Haelen, Holland. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 1559. Aircraft Name: SPIRIT OF '76. |
| Research Notes: | 2016-01-15 RFP. Determined SqCode from 1943-06-22 formation chart. Squadron marking not explicitly stated in 6-22 documents, only the plane-in-squadron code. |
| (more...) | |
| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1⇗ | 22 June 1943 | Target: General Motors Truck Factory Type: Industry Location: Antwerp, Belgium | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Remainder of crew not identified in mission documents. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 23 June 1943 | Bernay-Saint-Martin, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |