43-38343 The Big Gear
B-17G-85-BO
July 23, 1944 Delivered to Cheyenne
August 4, 1944 to Hunter
August 15, 1944 to Dow Field
August 17, 1944 Assigned to 391st Squadron, 34th Bomb Group, Mendlesham
Mission #64 September 17, 1944 43-38343 L/I Perry (composite Sq. flying with 493BG)
Mission #65 September 19, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #66 September 22, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #67 September 25, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #69 September 27, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel (Major damage – T/Sgt Melvin A. Backens 37462530 (Gunner) Lightly Wounded in Action.
Mission #71 October 2, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Freidel
October 2, 1944 43-38343 L/I
On Marshalling Chart on Hardstand #19 at 2100-2200 hours.
Mission #72 October 3, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #73 October 5, 1944 43-38343 L/I 7BS Vick
Mission #74 October 6, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Halbert
Mission #76 October 9, 1944 43-38343 L/I Friedel (incorrected shown as L/T)
Mission #77 October 14, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #78 October 15, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Feldman Aborted – mechanical – #3 engine out
Mission #79 October 17, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #80 October 19, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #82 October 25, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #83 October 26, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #84 October 28, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #85 October 30, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #86 November 4, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #87 November 5, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Felker
Mission #88 November 6, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Feldman
Mission #89 November 9, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #91 November 21, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #92 November 25, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel Major damage
Mission #94 November 29, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel Aborted – oil in #1 engine
Mission #98 December 6, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #99 December 11, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Hammersley
Mission #100 December 12, 1944 43-38343 L/I 18BS Friedel Leaflets only.
Mission #101 December 15, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #102 December 24, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #103 December 27, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Friedel
Mission #106 December 31, 1944 43-38343 L/I 391BS Ettlebrick
Mission #107 January 2, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Blum
Mission #108 January 3, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Jones, J. L.
Mission #109 January 7, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Jones, J. L.
Mission #110 January 10, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth Oxygen system went out 2 minutes before target – Bombardier helping Engineer
Mission #111 January 13, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Sherman
Mission #112 January 14, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Sherman
Mission #115 January 20, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #119 February 3, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Hammersley
Mission #120 February 6, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Latz
Mission #122 February 14, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #123 February 15, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #124 February 17, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Waarvick
Mission #125 February 19, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #126 February 20, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Waarvick
Mission #127 February 21, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Delain
Mission #128 February 22, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Delain
Mission #129 February 24, 1945 43-38343 L/I (unused ground spare)
Mission #130 February 25, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #131 February 26, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #132 February 27, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #133 March 1, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #134 March 2, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth Slight damage
Mission #135 March 3, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #136 March 4, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Waarvick
Mission #137 March 7, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #138 March 8, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Wilcox
Mission #139 March 10, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #140 March 11, 1945 43-38343 L/I (unused ground spare)
Mission #141 March 12, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Wilcox
Mission #143 March 15, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #144 March 17, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #146 March 19, 1945 43-38343 L/I (unused spare)
Mission #147 March 20, 1945 43-38343 L/I 18BS Mehling
Mission #149 March 22, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Evans Aborted - #1 engine. Returned load.
Mission #154 March 30, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Gast
Mission #155 March 31, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #156 April 3, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth Aborted - mechanical.
Mission #157 April 4, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #158 April 5, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #160 April 8, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #161 April 9, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS DeLain
Mission #164 April 14, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #165 April 15, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #166 April 16, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #167 April 17, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #169 April 19, 1945 43-38343 L/I 391BS Werth
Mission #171 May 1, 1945 43-38343 L/I Dwyer (scheduled but scratched)
43-38343 The Big Gear
B-17G-85-BO
June 20, 945 Returned to US: Bradley
Flown to the US by the Dwyer crew #65-34. See Microfilm reel BO115, p.1594.
Dwyer, Harold E. 1Lt O-784131 Pilot 1091
Thorpe, William H. 2Lt O-784247 Co-Pilot 1091
Menefee, Robert H. F/O T-135796 Nav 1034
Noe, John L. T/Sgt 36879859 Radio Op 757
Brown, George W. T/Sgt 17061667 Engr 748
Janusz, Theodore T/Sgt 31175150 Crew Chief 750
Bell, Robert E. Jr. S/Sgt 19186892 Gunner 612
Duval, Emile A. Jr. S/Sgt 19205075 Gunner 612
Gilchrist, Herman T. S/Sgt 13133811 Gunner 612
Hardy, George A. Jr. S/Sgt 18134515 Gunner 938
Ryan, Richard E. 1Lt O-738791 Passenger 1035
Lee, Wallace B. S/Sgt 19148037 Passenger 685
Frazier, Duly J. Sgt 32934982 Passenger 809
Michalowski, Frank T. Sgt 39276834 Passenger 901 ORD
Snowden, Charles L. Sgt 34624017 Passenger 555
Coupe, Walter R. Sgt 12137837 Passenger 747
Hartline, Earl A. Cpl 39705415 Passenger 345
Roark, Glen M. Cpl 39205013 Passenger 555
Brothers, William J. Pfc 39021467 Passenger 493 (or 403)
Martin, Robert E. Pfc 35769532 Passenger 982 (or 932)
June 22, 1945 to 4168 Base Unit South Plains
December 13, 1945 to RFC Kingman.