43-38326 Bottoms Up

B-17G-85-BO

 

As of February 9, 1945 the name was Take Off Time, according to Cleo Baughman of the Kennedy crew. Could he have been referring to their regular plane?

 

July 21, 1944 Delivered to Cheyenne

July 30, 1944 to Kearney

August 15, 1944 to Grenier

August 22, 1944 Assigned to 18th Squadron, 34th Bomb Group, Mendlesham

 

Mission #64 September 17, 1944 43-38326 B/U 4BS Timblin

Mission #65 September 19, 1944 43-38326 B/U 4BS Henderson

Mission #67 September 25, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pelszynski

Mission #69 September 27, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pelsznyski

Mission #70 September 28, 1944 43-38326 B/U 4BS Runyan

Mission #71 October 2, 1944 43-38326 B/U 4BS Pelszynski

 

                       October 2, 1944 43-38326 B/U

On Marshalling Chart on Hardstand #15 at 2100-2200 hours.

 

Mission #72 October 3, 1944 43-38326 B/U 391BS Pelszyski

Mission #73 October 5, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pelszynski

Mission #74 October 6, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pelszynski

Mission #75 October 7, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Parrish

Mission #76 October 9, 1944 43-38326 B/U Talbott

Mission #77 October 14, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Gipson

Mission #78 October 15, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Lerch

Mission #80 October 19, 1944 43-38326 B/U 7BS Bouldin

Mission #81 October 22, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Gardner, M.

Mission #82 October 25, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Bouldin

Mission #83 October 26, 1944 43-38326 B/U (unused ground spare)

Mission #84 October 28, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Lerch

Mission #85 October 30, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Lerch

Mission #86 November 4, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pelszynski

Mission #88 November 6, 1944 43-38326 B/U (unused ground spare)

Mission #89 November 9, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Abrams

Mission #91 November 21, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #95 November 30, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #96 December 4, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff          Aborted – mechanical.

Mission #99 December 11, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Jones, W. S.

Mission #100 December 12, 1944 43-38326 B/U 391BS Peede      Aborted - #4 engine & loss of oil & fire

Mission #102 December 24, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #103 December 27, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #104 December 28, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #105 December 30, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #106 December 31, 1944 43-38326 B/U 18BS Mann

Mission #107 January 2, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #108 January 3, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #109 January 7, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #110 January 10, 1945 43-38326 B/U (scheduled for Hemingway but replaced)

Mission #111 January 13, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #112 January 14, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Fiedler

Mission #113 January 15, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #114 January 16, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff                         

Mission #115 January 20, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Ratcliff

Mission #116 January 23, 1945 43-38326 B/U 7BS O’Grady          Chaff

Mission #119 February 3, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Raymond

Mission #120 February 6, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Abrams

Mission #121 February 9, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Kennedy      Landed on continent at B-58. Internal failures on 2 engines.

Mission #157 April 4, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Pierre    Brought back bombs - rack malfunction.

Mission #158 April 5, 1945 43-38326 B/U (scheduled for Hamilton but replaced)

Mission #159 April 7, 1945 43-38326 B/U 7BS Schwartz Took off 0910 landed 1705.

Mission #162 April 10, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Rawson

Mission #163 April 11, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Rawson

Mission #164 April 14, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Rawson

Mission #165 April 15, 1945 43-38326 B/U (scheduled for Rawson but replaced)

Mission #166 April 16, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Rawson

Mission #170 April 20, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Golding              Bombed with Fiedler who released accidentally.

Mission #171 May 1, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Hack

Mission #172 May 2, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Buckholz

Mission #173 May 3, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Hatley

Mission #174 May 5, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Buckholz

Mission #175 May 6, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Fisher

Mission #176 May 7, 1945 43-38326 B/U 18BS Myers

 

Mission #177 May 15, 1945 44-8282 B/V Mehling

Aircraft #282 shown on Take off and Landing chart. Aircraft #326 (43-38326) shown on after mission report.

Took off 0616 hours.

Landed at Horsching AF and picked up 30 French former POWs.

Discharged 30 French former POWs at Chartres (A-40)

Landed 1907 hours.

No crew loading lists.

 

43-38326 Bottoms Up

B-17G-85-BO

June 23, 1945 Returned to US: Bradley

Flown to the US by the Gustafson crew #12-34. See Microfilm reel B0115, p. 1534.

Gustafson, John R.                              1Lt          O-772354                Pilot                        1091

Konsbruck, Howard P.                        1Lt          O-925914                Co-Pilot                  1091

Gambrill, Stewart W.                            1Lt          O-2062652              Nav                         1034

Foust, Ronald O.                                  T/Sgt      56591013                Radio Op               757

---ckler, Jack H.                                     T/Sgt      34509381                Engr                        748 (Name not readable)

Tobias, David L.                                   1Lt          O-780276                Bomb                      1035

Armstrong, Denton R.                         S/Sgt      39146470                Gunner                   612

Reeves, Robert R.                                S/Sgt      19142737                Gunner                   612

Jackson, Walter G.                               S/Sgt      36677599                Gunner                   612

Harrison, Leo F.                                    Cpl          11040122                Passenger              747

Reynolds, William G.                           Sgt          33332640                Passenger              747

Simons, Vincent H.                              Capt        O-433595                Passenger              2161

Luhrsen, August H.                             Capt        O-440537                Passenger              1035

Wilson, Petter J.                                   S/Sgt      16159485                Passenger              502

Ruprecht, Willis R.                               S/Sgt      36291658                Passenger              853

Swann, Alfred A.                                 S/Sgt      14157828                Passenger              862

Valkosky, George G.                            Sgt          15330211                Passenger              650

Flannagan, William G.                         Cpl          16080299                Passenger              852

Guzenski, Frank A.                               Cpl          42091642                Passenger              862

Gay, Robert L.                                       Cpl          36296407                Passenger              754

 

June 25, 1945 to 4168 Base Unit South Plains

December 14, 1945 to RFC Kingman