44-6826

B-17G-65-DL

November 21, 1944 Delivered to Hunter

December 6, 1944 to Grenier

December 12, 1944 Assigned to the 7^th Squadron, 34^th Bomb Group, Mendlesham

Mission #108 January 3, 1945 44-6826 E/C 7BS Sheesley

Mission #109 January 7, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #110 January 10, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #111 January 13, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Henderson

Mission #112 January 14, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #113 January 15, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #114 January 16, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #115 January 20, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS O’Grady

Mission #116 January 23, 1945 44-6826 E/D (unused ground spare)

Mission #117 January 28, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley           Battle  damage

Mission #118 January 29, 1945 44-6826 E/D 18BS Mann

Mission #119 February 3, 1945 44-6826 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Damaged in a landing accident, which was charged to CP Edward J. Lonergan

NOTE: In a letter to MM, March 1989, p. 20, Darrell W. Bullis gives the following account of the crash landing. "On Feb. 3, 1945, our target was Berlin. The aircraft name and number has been forgotten. Upon return, with no battle damage, it was lucky that our crew was all in crash landing position. Just after touchdown, and while still rolling rapidly down the runway, the pilot reached down and pulled up on the flight control lock handle. As long as the wheel stayed back everything was OK, but when the pilot dumped the wheel forward the lock snapped into place. The tail went up and the nose started scrapping the runway. Both the pilot and co-pilot stood up on the brakes to stop the plane. When it stopped the tail came down hard and the fuselage broke in two just aft of the radio room. No one was hurt. The crew all got out OK. The meat wagons and crash trucks all came charging up along with a large crowd. Also a Colonel demanding to know who had wrecked his airplane. He was looking for someone to eat out. The crew was offering to fight anyone that said anything to the pilot who was crying like a baby. The Colonel insisted on knowing who had caused the wreck. The pilot admitted he had done it all by himself. The Colonel then asked the crew if we wanted to continue to fly with him. We told him that we would not fly with anyone else. Noting our unity, the Colonel then ordered the wreckage be taken to the scrap heap and the furnishing of another aircraft for the crew. Nothing else was said about the wreck."

February 5, 1945 44-6826 E/D salvaged.