Ernie Pyle made it all up?

[Mackie]

Many of you may be familiar with Ernie Pyle's story, "Coming in on a wing and a prayer," if not here's a run down:

http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1106433.html

and a link to part 1 of the original newspaper story:

http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1106433.html

Anywho, I really like the story and am going to be doing a total AMS 1/48 Visible B-17G soon and I would like to do the aircraft in Ernie Pyle's story. The plane in the story is called the "Thunderbird" but it's not the Thunderbird (42-38050) - that plane only did missions in Germany / France.

I did a bunch of searching around and the only lead I can find is the bombardier's name is Joe Dodson. I'm starting to think 'ol Ernie made the whole thing up!

Can anyone help me out? Maybe what AF / BG / BW's were in North Africa in January 1943?

-thanx

Edited December 21, 2009 by Mackie

[richter111]

I cannot speak with authority on this particular incident.

But I c an think of several aircraft named Lady Luck, and other such names. I can imagine Thunderbird would be a popular name for the B-17

Sorry I can't be of more assistance

[richter111]

Here is one Thunderbird

http://www.303rdbg.com/thunderbird/index.shtml

[richter111]

Great all around B-17 link

http://northstargallery.com/Aircraft/B17/links.htm

[richter111]

Here is a list of all the crewmen that ever completed a mission in the original Thunderbird.

reference:303rdbg.com/thunderbird/crewmen.html

(WG) Cpl Abernathy, Fay S.

(P) 2Lt Ackerman, Stewart S. Jr (427)

(FE) TSgt Albright, Glenn N. (427)

(BTG) Sgt Aldous, George C. (358)

(WG) Sgt Allen, Charles B.

(BTG) Sgt Allerton, Jack R.

(RO) SSgt Anderson, Agustus C.

(WG) Sgt Anderson, Esten R.

(BOM) 2Lt Anderson, Everett K.

(NAV) 2Lt Andreasen, Rolf W.

(RO) TSgt Andrus, James S.

(WG) Sgt Angeloff, James P.

(P) 1Lt App, Robert G. (360)

(TOG) SSgt Arendt, John L.

(WG) SSgt Armstrong, Keith N.

(P) 1Lt Arnold, William J.

(P) 1Lt Assenheimer, Edwin H.

(TG) SSgt Atkinson, William E.

(WG) SSgt Babbitt, Bruce E. (360)

(CP) 2Lt Bach, Harold J.

(WG) SSgt Baer, Richard K.

(BTG) Sgt Bale, Gordon E.

(P) 2Lt Baltes, George E.

(WG) Sgt Bandy, Peter C.

(NAV) 2Lt Barger, Donald T.

(BOM) 2Lt Barlow, Richard B.

(TG) Sgt Barmak, Paul J.

(TG) Sgt Barnett, Raymond L.

(P) 2Lt Barrat, Robert J. (427)

(CP) 2Lt Barrios, Alfred R. (427)

(TG) Sgt Barry, John K.

(NAV) 2Lt Bates, Robert L.

(CP) 2Lt Batton, James H.

(CP) F/O Bauer, Donald R.

(P) 2Lt Beasley, William M.

(CP) 2Lt Beck, Edward R.

(CP) 2Lt Beeman, Richard

(NAV) 2Lt Belles, Harold A.

(BTG) Sgt Berrett, Charles R.

(NAV) F/O Best, Shril P (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Beys, George J.

(NAV) 2Lt Bielski, Casimer Jr

(FE) Sgt Bigelow, Robert R. (358)

(RO) Cpl Bilski, Peter P.

(BTG) Sgt Bishop, Neldon R.

(CP) 2Lt Bitler, Hower E. Jr

(P) 1Lt Bixby, Kenneth E.

(CP) 2Lt Blanchard, Samuel B.

(FE) SSgt Bodin, Lloyd R.

(P) 2Lt Bohle, Loren W.P. (358)

(FE) SSgt Borges, Gilbert C.

(TG) Sgt Borsody, William L.

(WG) Sgt Botton, Pius L.

(P) 1Lt Boulter, Raymond A.

(TG) Sgt Bowman, John H.

(P) 1Lt Brabant, Patrick H.

(BTG) SSgt Brady, Gene F. (360)

(WG) Sgt Brewer, Ray

(FE) TSgt Broderick, George V.

(NAV) 2Lt Brooks, James

(WG) SSgt Brown, William F. Jr .

(BTG) SSgt Buchanan, Paul F. (360)

(RO) Sgt Buckingham, Earl W.

(PHO) Sgt Buckley, Paul (360)

(CP) 2Lt Burgess, William T.

(TG) Sgt Butler, Ashley A.

(BOM) 2Lt Byers, Donald B.

(NAV) F/O Caffrey, James J. (360)

(P) 2Lt Call, Fred E.

(P) 1Lt Callahan, Edward F.

(BOM) 2Lt Callahan, Elsworth D.

(BTG) Sgt Callicott, William M.

(BTG) SSgt Calnon, Frederick N. (427)

(CP) 2Lt Calwell, Lucien B.

(BOM) 2Lt Campbell, Frank B.

(CP) 2Lt Campbell, Laurie H.

(BOM) 2Lt Campbell, Robert C. (427)

(TG) SSgt Caperton, James R.

(TOG) TSgt Cappucci, Joseph R.

(FE) TSgt Carbillano, Dominick J. (360)

(RO) SSgt Carman, Nolan W.

(NAV) 1Lt Carney, Felix A. (360)

(WG) Sgt Cassino, Julian R.

(FE) SSgt Cauthier, Leon C.

(BOM) 2Lt Champ, William J.

(WG) Sgt Champagne, Adam A.

(P) 2Lt Chance, Arthur F.

(BOM) 2Lt Chang, David K.S.

(BTG) Sgt Charron, Raymond H.

(TOG) Sgt Chornyei, Frank

(FE) Sgt Chrisman, Warren F. (358)

(WG) Sgt Christensen, Lars

(NAV) 2Lt Claster, Stanley M.

(TG) Sgt Cofrances, Ernest L.

(RO) SSgt Cohen, Seymour T.

(WG) Sgt Colley, Smith K.

(CP) 2Lt Combs, Americus V. III (427)

(TOG) TSgt Connor, Joseph C.

(RO) SSgt Connors, Joseph Q.

(CP) 2Lt Cooper, John T. (358)

(FE) Sgt Copp, Edmond D.

(NAV) F/O Corbin, Frederick A.

(RO) Sgt Cornelius, Russell B.

(BTG) SSgt Cottrell, Bert

(BOM) 2Lt Coughlin, George A. (427)

(NAV) F/O Counts, George F.

(NAV) 2Lt Craven, James M.

(BOM) 2Lt Crawford, Raymond C.

(FE) Sgt Creaghan, Robert E. (427)

(TG) Sgt Crogan, John M.

(CP) 2Lt Cunningham, Billy A.

(WG) Sgt Curl, Lewis E.

(RO) TSgt Dahms, Edward R. (427)

(FE) SSgt Danford, Emmett J.

(TG) Sgt Daniel, Nauphlet F.

(P) 2Lt Daum, Maurice C.

(BTG) SSgt Davies, John W.

(FE) TSgt Davis, Eugene B.

(WG) Sgt Dean, Raymond N.

(BOM) 2Lt Dee, Martin R. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt DeFillipis, Rocco

(NAV) 2Lt Dennis, Walter T. (360)

(BOM) 1Lt Destito, Frank S.

(FE) SSgt Dexter, Fred L.

(WG) SSgt Dickman, Thomas J.

(WG) Sgt Dimowitz, Morris (427)

(TOG) Sgt Dittman, Robert J.

(NAV) 1Lt Donovan, James R.

(NAV) 2Lt Doole, Robert V. (427)

(CP) 2Lt Doughty, Gordon R. (360)

(CP) 2Lt Doyle, Joseph J.

(FE) SSgt Driggers, Sherod E. Jr

(NAV) 2Lt DuBois, Benjamin F.

(TG) SSgt Dudley, Howard E. (427)

(FE) SSgt Duerr, William P. (427)

(TOG) Sgt Dugan, Michael A. Jr (358)

(P) 2Lt Edwards, Kenneth C.

(NAV) 2Lt Ehrke, Warren D.

(P) 1Lt Eisenwinter, Phillip D. (427)

(FE) SSgt Ela, Lyman E.

(NAV) 2Lt Elliot, Harold F.

(TG) Sgt Emerson, George H. (427)

(TG) Sgt Erdody, Joseph J.

(BOM) 2Lt Evans, Charles F.

(TG) SSgt Evans, Marlin D. (360)

(P) 2Lt Fackler, David E.

(WG) SSgt Fambry, Louis F. (360)

(RO) Sgt Ferche, Joseph P.

(TOG) TSgt Ficken, Lewis P.

(TG) SSgt Finch, Stanley

(RO) Sgt Fiore, John J.

(FE) Sgt Fischer, Norbert G.

(NAV) 2Lt Fisher, William H.

(P) 1Lt Flesh, William R. (427)

(CP) 2Lt Force, James G.

(WG) SSgt Forsythe, William K.

(NAV) 2Lt Forve, Frank F.

(FE) SSgt Fouss, Howard E.

(P) 2Lt Fravel, Harold L.

(P) 2Lt Frazier, Eugene C.

(WG) SSgt Frederick, Lee W.

(FE) TSgt Freinwald, Earl C.

(BTG) TSgt Frymoyer, Carl E.

(BTG) Sgt Fydrychowski, John J.

(WG) SSgt Gainer, Phillip B. (427)

(TOG) Sgt Garcia, Leonard A.

(TG) Sgt Gardner, Henry A.

(NAV) 2Lt Garvey, Richard J.

(P) 2Lt Gates, Cecil J.

(BTG) Sgt Gaumer, Billy A.

(RO) Sgt Genter, Norman (358)

(NAV) F/O Gerhardstein, Eugene (358)

(CP) 2Lt Gibbons, Donald L.

(BTG) SSgt Gilcrease, Roland L.

(FE) SSgt Gillespie, Norton A.

(BTG) TSgt Gilmore, Charles E.

(RO) SSgt Giltenboth, Charles L.

(RO) SSgt Girman, Eugene E.

(P) 1Lt Glass, Henry F. (360)

(TG) Sgt Gloria, Tony M.

(BOM) 2Lt Glover, Fred E.

(WG) Sgt Godsey, Austin C.

(NAV) 2Lt Goettman, Andrew T.

(CP) 1Lt Gordon, Joseph (358)

(CP) 2Lt Gorecki, Victor T.

(FE) Sgt Gornto, Jacob R.

(BOM) 2Lt Gouch, William M.

(P) 2Lt Gould, Graham C.

(CP) 2Lt Goulding, Traynum D.

(TG) Sgt Gracida, Henry J. Jr

(FE) Sgt Grant, Gilbert D.

(BTG) Sgt Gray, Willaim W.

(PHO) TSgt Green, William H.

(WG) SSgt Greene, George P. Jr

(RO) TSgt Greenhalgh, Chester C.

(WG) SSgt Gross, James J.

(TG) SSgt Grossman, Howard A. (427)

(BOM) 2Lt Grove, Terrill M.

(BTG) Sgt Guptill, Walter R.

(BTG) Sgt Gurka, Stanley

(BTG) SSgt Guzman, Abel C.

(BTG) Sgt Hager, Mark I.

(P) 2Lt Hall, Merwin G.

(FE) SSgt Hall, Thomas M.

(P) 1Lt Halpin, Robert H.

(RO) SSgt Hamann, Delos H.

(BTG) Sgt Hamilton, John W.

(NAV) 2Lt Hammond, Raymond D.

(FE) SSgt Hammons, Charles G.

(P) 2Lt Hanselmann, Charles F.

(RO) Sgt Hanson, Robert W.

(P) 2Lt Harding, Lawrence T.

(CP) F/O Hardy, James H. (360)

(BTG) Sgt Harper, Richard F.

(TOG) Sgt Harrigfeld, Thomas E.

(CP) 2Lt Harrison, Weldon O.

(BTG) SSgt Hart, Edgar D.

(CP) 2Lt Harvey, Dean (427)

(FE) TSgt Hayes, Theron M.

(NAV) 2Lt Heatherly, Phillip P.

(BTG) SSgt Hein, Walter E.

(TG) Sgt Held, Armin C.

(BTG) Pvt Hendon, William G.

(TG) Cpl Henja, Dennis R.

(P) 2Lt Henning, Clyde H.

(BTG) TSgt Hermann, Kurt J.

(BTG) Sgt Highfill, Thomas W. (427)

(P) 2Lt Hillary, Jack R.

(WG) Sgt Hinson, Archie H.

(FE) TSgt Hodge, Dana A.

(TG) Sgt Hoffman, George F.

(NAV) 2Lt Hogan, Paul G.

(WG) Sgt Holden, Robert R.

(BTG) SSgt Holder, Kenneth L.

(NAV) 2Lt Hollingsworth, William I.

(BTG) Sgt Hollwell, James L. (358)

(BTG) SSgt Howard, George E. (427)

(BTG) Sgt Hundley, Walter L.

(BTG) Sgt Hunsucker, John E.

(P) 1Lt Hybert, Arthur J.

(RO) TSgt Islava, Jospeh O. (427)

(BTG) SSgt Jaehne, Charles R.

(NAV) 2Lt Jardarian, Zaven

(WG) Sgt Jeanerevin, Robert R.

(BTG) SSgt Jenkins, Crawford E.

(P) 2Lt Jenkins, Harry F.

(FE) TSgt Jeter, James E. Jr

(NAV) 2Lt Johnson, Charles P. (358)

(FE) TSgt Johnson, Kenneth V.

(BTG) Sgt Johnson, Ralph R.

(CP) 2Lt Johnson, Richard C.

(CP) 2Lt Johnson, Robert H.

(TG) Sgt Johnson, Robert O.

(NAV) 2Lt Jones, Clayton C.

(TOG) Sgt Jones, John V.

(P) 1Lt Jones, Wilbur H. (427) .

(BOM) 2Lt Joyce, John D.

(BTG) Sgt Kanz, Milton C.

(TOG) SSgt Karp, William T. (427)

(RO) TSgt Kasper, Raymond H. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt Kelly, James H. Jr

(RO) SSgt Kennedy, Herbert W.

(BOM) 2Lt Kennedy, William J. (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Kenny, John P.

(NAV) 2Lt King, Robert L.

(CP) 2Lt Kirkpatrick, Roy A.

(CP) 2Lt Knolle, William C.

(NAV) 1Lt Knox, George E.

(WG) SSgt Kolanda, Frank M.

(TOG) SSgt Kolling, Arthur J.

(RO) SSgt Kosher, Albert J. (427)

(WG) SSgt Kossin, Jack (427)

(TG) Sgt Kowalk, Francis H.

(RO) SSgt Krumwiede, Leland J.

(WG) Sgt Kurzawski, John W.

(FE) SSgt Kuwik, Joseph E.

(TG) SSgt LaFranier, James E. (427)

(FE) Sgt Lainson, Colin C.

(BTG) Sgt Lammers, Roger G.

(CP) 2Lt Lasker, Yale

(RO) SSgt Lazarowicz, Matthew (427)

(FE) TSgt Leach, Norman E. (360)

(RO) SSgt Ledogar, Ralph E.

(NAV) 2Lt Leigh, Thomas W. Jr

(WG) Sgt Lemley, Jack A.

(WG) SSgt Lichtenwalter, Ralph W.

(P) 1Lt Ligino, Steve (427)

(BTG) Sgt Linhart, Louis H. (427)

(WG) Sgt Link, Herbert D. (427)

(WG) Sgt Linville, Warren N.

(NAV) 1Lt Livermore, William D.

(BTG) SSgt Lloyd, Stanley W.

(P) 2Lt London, Walter H. Jr

(RO) SSgt Loosemore, Wesley G.

(RO) Sgt Lovelock, Edward N.

(RO) SSgt Lunday, Albert J.

(NAV) 2Lt MacCauley, Edward H.

(PHO) SSgt Mahaffey, William D.

(P) 2Lt Mainwaring, Charles O.

(RO) SSgt Maluchnik, Chester S. (358)

(BOM) 2Lt Mabary, George D.L.

(CP) 2Lt Marble, Robert A.

(CP) 2Lt Marsh, John F.

(P) 2Lt Marsh, Richard K.

(TG) SSgt Martin, Anthony B.

(WG) Sgt Martins, Arnout C.

(WG) Sgt Mathis, Henry C. Jr

(RO) TSgt Matlock, Austin M. (360)

(FE) TSgt Matthews, Fred T.

(RO) Sgt Maurer, Charles E.

(RO) Sgt Mawdsley, Arnold

(FE) TSgt Mayhugh, John C.

(NAV) 2Lt McCarver, Eugene D.

(BTG) SSgt McClure, James D.

(TG) Sgt McCullough, Luther Jr

(P) 2Lt McDavid, Philip H.

(CP) 2Lt McDowell, James B. Jr

(WG) SSgt McGee, Richard

(BTG) Sgt McIntyre, Harold W.

(RO) TSgt McKelvey, Harold P.

(WG) SSgt McKenna, Robert I.

(TOG) Sgt McKinley, A.B.

(BTG) SSgt McKinnon, Neil W. (360)

(RO) SSgt McLaughlin, William C. Jr

(TOG) SSgt McLellan, Raymond L. (360)

(CP) 2Lt McMahan, Eugene A. (360)

(TG) SSgt McPherson, Frank U.

(P) 1Lt Meier, Russell W.

(TOG) SSgt Meier, Wayne E.

(FE) SSgt Menasco, Elmer W.

(WG) SSgt Mendel, Myron E.

(TOG) SSgt Merrow, Robert K.

(BTG) SSgt Michael, David D. (360)

(BOM) F/O Mieslich, Morris

(RO) Sgt Miller, Albert

(RO) TSgt Miller, Gordon R. (360)

(TG) Sgt Miller, Theodore G.

(RO) TSgt Minks, George A.

(FE) TSgt Mitchell, William E. (360)

(TOG) Sgt Moening, Herman G.

(TG) SSgt Moessner, Raymond J.

(FE) SSgt Mogck, Leonard F.

(NAV) 2Lt Mollmann, Charles A.

(P) 2Lt Moncur, Vern L.

(RO) TSgt Montgomary, Robert E.

(RO) TSgt Moreira, Joseph A.

(P) 1Lt Morgan, William D.

(FE) SSgt Morrow, Robert K.

(TG) Sgt Moser, Lawrence B.

(BOM) 2Lt Moss, Harry G.

(BTG) Cpl Moss, Shirley L.

(CP) 2Lt Moyer, William G.

(TG) Sgt Mulstein, John E. Jr

(WG) SSgt Munn, Edwin C.

(BTG) SSgt Munson, James E.

(WG) TSgt Murphy, Carl B.

(RO) TSgt Murphy, John J. (427)

(FE) Sgt Myers, Ernest L.

(TG) SSgt Nabors, Herschell F. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt Nance, George H.

(WG) SSgt Neathery, Ralph P.

(P) 1Lt Newell, Noel N.

(CP) 1Lt Newell, Richard M. (360)

(TG) SSgt Newman, John F.

(N) 2Lt Norman, Frederick J. (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Nute, Gordon B.

(FE) Sgt O'Brien, William J.

(TG) Sgt O'Connor, Julian J.

(P) 2Lt O'Donnell, Thomas M.

(NAV) 2Lt O'Neill, Owen H. Jr

(FE) SSgt Olander, Phillip A.

(BOM) 2Lt Oswald, Alois H. Jr (427)

(TOG) Sgt Otto, Kenneth Jr

(RO) TSgt Owen, James C.

(NAV) 1Lt Palmer, Gerald M.

(TG) Sgt Palsa, Rudolph

(P) 1Lt Parker, John W.

(CP) 2Lt Paton, Wallace L.

(WG) SSgt Patrone, Frank (360)

(FE) SSgt Paul, George E.

(NAV) 2Lt Pepe, Nicholas A. (360)

(TOG) Pvt Perkins, Homer T.

(TG) SSgt Peters, John W.

(CP) 2Lt Peterson, Edwin V.

(P) 2Lt Peterson, Robert C.

(TG) SSgt Petrie, Joe D. (360)

(FE) TSgt Pfeffer, William W. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt Pickett, Donald E.

(TG) Sgt Pohlman, Wilbert F.

(WG) SSgt Polaski, Duane L. (360)

(WG) TSgt Pordhan, Jack F.

(RO) SSgt Portley, Sol

(TG) Sgt Posluszny, Dranislau B.

(CP) F/O Powlus, Vernon F.

(RO) SSgt Prendergast, Bert T.

(BTG) Sgt Price, Richard M. (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Prince, Alan M.

(TG) Sgt Proctor, Isaac H.

(WG) Sgt Proper, George M. (427)

(BOM) 2Lt Protzman, John W.

(BOM) 2Lt Proud, Rexford I. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt Prussman, Henry G.

(CP) 2Lt Quiggle, Robert D.

(NAV) 2Lt Quinlan, Thomas R. Jr

(WG) SSgt Quinn, Charles E.

(NAV) 1Lt Ramsey, Elijah W. Jr

(BTG) Sgt Raterman, Urban L.

(RO) SSgt Ratford, Edward V.

(FE) TSgt Rau, Harvey L. (427)

(BOM) 2Lt Rawlings, Loren F.

(TG) Sgt Reckert, Arthur C.

(WG) Sgt Redhage, Louis H.

(FE) Sgt Reed, Denver E.

(P) 2Lt Reed, John W.

(BOM) 1Lt Reeder, John J. (427)

(FE) SSgt Reese, Bobbie B.

(BTG) SSgt Reese, Dale G.

(FE) TSgt Reiss, Raymond F. (427)

(TG) SSgt Rettinhouse, Robert A.

(BOM) 2Lt Reynolds, Ralph J.

(RO) Sgt Ribesky, John V. Jr (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Rice, John E.

(WG) Sgt Richard, John

(BTG) Sgt Richard, Vernon

(TG) TSgt Roberts, James E. (360)

(TOG) SSgt Roberts, James P.

(CP) 2Lt Robertson, William, III

(FE) TSgt Robichaux, John B.

(FE) TSgt Robinson, Charles R.

(BOM) 2Lt Robrock, Paul A. (360)

(P) 2Lt Rogers, Clem W. Jr.

(WG) SSgt Rogers, Warren G.

(WG) SSgt Rohaly, Andy

(FE) TSgt Romer, Eugene A.

(FE) TSgt Rosier, Robert L.

(P) 2Lt Roth, Ernest L.

(BTG) Sgt Salmon, Earl D.

(WG) SSgt Sampson, Dale A.

(NAV) 2Lt Sanders, Coleman

(CP) 2Lt Sassone, Joseph C.

(NAV) 2Lt Saumsingle, Robert W.

(P) 1Lt Savage, John N.

(WG) SSgt Savelo, Wilho A.

(NAV) 2Lt Scheer, Harold

(BTG) Sgt Schilling, Lawrence E.

(FE) TSgt Schlottmann, Jerome D.

(CP) 2Lt Schopplain, Orin H.

(BOM) 1Lt Schreidell, Matthew

(WG) SSgt Senzone, Jospeh J.

(RO) SSgt Sikkema, Wilfrued J. .

(NAV) 2Lt Simon, Albert A.

(FE) Sgt Simone, Sam P. (427)

(BTG) SSgt Simpson, James A.

(P) 2Lt Sirany, George R.

(NAV) 2Lt Skarsten, Albert B. (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Smith, Arthur M. (427)

(NAV) 2Lt Smith, Gordon B.

(TG) Sgt Smith, Jack C. (358)

(TG) Sgt Spencer, James P. (358)

(P) 1Lt Spindler, Benjamin L. (360)

(TOG) Sgt Sproule, Wayne O. (358)

(P) 1Lt St. Julien, John D. (360)

(BOM) 2Lt Steineman, James T.

(WG) SSgt Stellato, Francis A. (360)

(RO) TSgt Stemmle, Edwin C.

(FE) SSgt Stenger, John J. Jr

(BTG) Sgt Stephan, Kenneth R.

(WG) SSgt Stephenson, Thomas O.

(TG) Sgt Stevens, Richard G.

(CP) 1Lt Stewart, Frederick A.

(P) 2Lt Stocks, Jack E.

(BOM) 2Lt Stone, Leonard

(P) 1Lt Stoulil, Donald W.

(BTG) Sgt Streicher, Ralph E.

(RO) Sgt Strigle, Paul C.

(WG) SSgt Strough, Kenneth C. (427)

(FE) SSgt Sublett, James W.

(TG) SSgt Surrell, John M.

(NAV) 2Lt Susskind, Harold A.

(RO) Sgt Sussman, Martin

(WG) SSgt Sutton, Marvin A. (427)

(RO) TSgt Swanson, Clifford E.

(CP) 2Lt Sysel, William A.

(WG) Sgt Tanner, Henry C.

(P) 2Lt Taub, Francis R. (358)

(TG) SSgt Taylor, Burt W.

(RO) Sgt Terrill, Jack W.

(BTG) Sgt Thomas, David W.

(WG) Sgt Thompson, Frederick (427)

(P) Cap Thompson, Lawrence C.

(BTG) SSgt Thompson, Val E.

(P) 2Lt Tilsen, Cyril

(WG) Sgt Tipton, Bill B.

(RO) SSgt Tognetti, Paul A.

(WG) Cpl Torre, Leo A.

(RO) Sgt Trainer, Donald W.

(BOM) 2Lt Trawicki, George J.

(P) 1Lt Tulloss, John W.

(TG) SSgt Turkington, Calvin G.

(TG) SSgt Tybuszewski, Mitchel J.

(CP) 2Lt Tyler, Frederick B. (427)

(BOM) 2Lt Tyree, Joseph C.

(RO) TSgt Uhl, Willard H. (360)

(P) 1Lt Underdown, Sidney L.

(RO) SSgt Van Horn, Everett E.

(P) 2Lt VanWeelden, Douglas C.

(BTG) Sgt Veljkov, Paul (427)

(BOM) F/O Vincent, Ronald J.

(P) 1Lt Virag, Andy R.

(RO) SSgt Vrabel, Cyril A.

(CP) 2Lt Waggoner, Richard C. (427)

(P) 1Lt Walker, Lewis M.

(CP) 2Lt Wallace, Walstein W. (427)

(WG) Sgt Wallis, Elton E.

(NAV) 2Lt Walsh, Myles J.

(TG) Pvt Watson, James R.

(RO) TSgt Weepie, Robert F.

(NAV) 2Lt Welsh, Harry A.

(BTG) Pvt Wernet, Charles E.

(WG) Sgt Westfall, Byron D.

(RO) Sgt Whisman, Chester C.

(TG) Sgt Wiencek, Edward J. (427)

(TG) SSgt Wike, Leonard L.

(TG) SSgt Williams, John P. Jr (427)

(FE) TSgt Williams, Robert M.

(WG) SSgt Williams, Walter S.

(CP) 2Lt Wilson, Carl V.

(TOG) SSgt Wilson, Johnnie R.

(TOG) Sgt Wilson, Robert P.

(NAV) 2Lt Wodinsky, Abraham

(FE) TSgt Wyly, Glen R.

(RO) SSgt Wysocki, John F.

(FE) Sgt Wysocki, Walter

(BOM) 2Lt Yelsky, Fred B.

(NAV) F/O Young, Warren I.

(CP) 2Lt Zapora, Theodore T.

(CP) F/O Zimmerman, Paul E.

(RO) TSgt Zitzler, George A.

[Researched by Keith Ferris, Harry D. Gobrecht, Gary L. Moncur]

[Mackie]

Yeah, that stuff is for that other Thunderbird. I guess the lesson is, if you go to war, make sure your plane has a unique name to it!

Thanx for the links, I'll keep searching there.

---

If anyone is interested, here's a couple nice interior cut out drawing of the B-17 I found. The first one is huge!

http://www.taphilo.com/photo/pictures/b17/...way-drawing.jpg

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/1245/20132422.JPG

[Mackie]

OK, what do you think?

North Africa B-17G in Jan 1943 = 12th AF = 97th / 301st BG = 340th, 341st, 342d, 414th / 32nd, 352nd, 353rd, 419th BS

Here's a pic of a Thunderbird from 301stBG:

http://www.301bg.com/Thunderbird.cfm

And here's a set of Mike Grant decals for that more famous Thunderbird (42-38050) that flew strictly in Europe:

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev1...8039/rev637.htm

If you look at the decals, the T-bird looks very similar but style of the text is quite different. Could the pic from the 301st be Ernie Pyle's lucky plane??? Close enough maybe???

:lol:

[tomr]

OK, what do you think?

North Africa B-17G in Jan 1943 = 12th AF = 97th / 301st BG = 340th, 341st, 342d, 414th / 32nd, 352nd, 353rd, 419th BS

Here's a pic of a Thunderbird from 301stBG:

http://www.301bg.com/Thunderbird.cfm

To make matters more strange, if you look through the whole site you linked to, they list the planes assigned to each of the bomber squadrons of the 301st. None of them carried the "Thunderbird" name, and the tail #42-38050 isn't listed either! You can check out that list here:

301st.

It could be, as that page alludes to, that the plane may have had one name on the starboard side (as the picture you linked to shows) but have a different name on the port. However, further study of the 301st.s website,and of richter111's post, you can find the names of the men assigned to each of the bomber squadrons, the names Lt. Cronkhite (the pilot), and Joe Dodson don't appear.

To make things even more odd, the story you linked to says that Dodson won the Air Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Not trying to take anything away from him, but he's not listed as receiving either medal! I found this out by trying to prove that the two of them were actually in the 301st.

Air Medal:

Air Medal Recipients

(Yes, I know, it's Wikipedia!)

Distinguished Flying Cross:

DFC Society

Can you say Hmmmmm?

[madmanrick]

Just a thought, but is it possible the wartime censors forced Ernie Pyle to change the names of the aircrew involved? I have no evidence either way, but it was the first thought that came to my mind.

Rick

[Steve N]

<post moved to separate thread to avoid hijacking this one>

SN

Edited January 10, 2010 by Steve N

[Jay Leap]

Ten years late here, but this story would seem to corroborate their identities: https://djgolembeski.atavist.com/a-wing-and-a-prayer