Sheesley crew

Mission List

Mission #97 December 5, 1944 43-38419 E/E 7BS Sheesley

Mission #100 December 12, 1944 43-38403 E/Z 7BS Sheesley

Mission #101 December 15, 1944 44-6296 E/R 7BS Sheesley

Mission #103 December 27, 1944 44-6296 E/R 7BS Sheesley

Mission #105 December 30, 1944 43-38391 E/J 7BS Sheesley

Mission #106 December 31, 1944 43-38987 E/F 7BS Sheesley

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

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

Mission #121 February 9, 1945 43-38338 B/M 7BS Sheesley

Mission #123 February 15, 1945 43-38263 E/N 7BS Sheesley Landed at Brussels, Belgium.

Mission #129 February 24, 1945 43-38416 E/C 7BS Sheesley

Mission #130 February 25, 1945 43-38286 E/T 7BS Sheesley Flying Dutchmen

Mission #131 February 26, 1945 43-38286 E/T 7BS Sheesley Flying Dutchmen

CREW #41; 7^th Squadron

Mission #134 March 2, 1945 43-38325 E/B 7BS Sheesley

Mission #135 March 3, 1945 43-38386 E/K 7BS Sheesley

Mission #136 March 4, 1945 44-6465 E/O 7BS Sheesley Fancy Nancy

Mission #137 March 7, 1945 44-8320 E/G 7BS Sheesley

Mission #139 March 10, 1945 43-38391 E/J 7BS Sheesley

Mission #140 March 11, 1945 44-8320 E/G 7BS Sheesley

Mission #141 March 12, 1945 44-8320 E/G 7BS Sheesley

Mission #144 March 17, 1945 43-38334 E/D 7BS Sheesley

Mission #145 March 18, 1945 43-38416 E/C 7BS Sheesley

Mission #146 March 19, 1945 43-38334 E/D 7BS Sheesley Jettisoned bombs and returned with #1 engine out

Mission #147 March 20, 1945 43-38416 E/C 7BS Sheesley

Mission #148 March 21, 1945 43-38367 E/L 7BS Sheesley

Mission #149 March 22, 1945 43-38113 E/S 7BS Sheesley

Mission #150 March 23, 1945 43-38987 E/F 7BS Sheesley

Mission #151 March 24, 1945 43-38286 E/T 7BS Sheesley Flying Dutchmen

Mission #153 March 28, 1945 44-6465 E/O 7BS Sheesley Fancy Nancy

Mission and Crew Details

Mission #97 December 5, 1944 43-38419 E/E 7BS Sheesley

Mission #100 December 12, 1944 43-38403 E/Z 7BS Sheesley

Mission #101 December 15, 1944 44-6296 E/R 7BS Sheesley

Mission #103 December 27, 1944 44-6296 E/R 7BS Sheesley

Mission #105 December 30, 1944 43-38391 E/J 7BS Sheesley

Mission #106 December 31, 1944 43-38987 E/F 7BS Sheesley

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

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

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

The B-17 was declared salvage on Feb. 5, 1945.

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."

ADDITIONAL NOTE: A photo of the plane following the accident appears in the Sept 1989 issue of MM on page 9.

Mission #121 February 9, 1945 43-38338 B/M 7BS Sheesley

Mission #123 February 15, 1945 43-38263 E/N 7BS Sheesley Landed at Brussels, Belgium.

Mission #129 February 24, 1945 43-38416 E/C 7BS Sheesley

Mission #130 February 25, 1945 43-38286 E/T 7BS Sheesley Flying Dutchmen

Mission #131 February 26, 1945 43-38286 E/T 7BS Sheesley Flying Dutchmen

CREW #41; 7^th Squadron

Mission #134 March 2, 1945 43-38325 E/B 7BS Sheesley

From hardstand #1, took off 0654 hours.

Flew position 4-1 in Low Squadron.

Carried leaflets only. Dropped on secondary target at 1026 hours from 22,000 feet.

Slight damage to the bomber. Initial E/A claims: 2-0-0. Credits: none.

Landed 1605 hours.

Sheesley (P)

Lonergan (CP)

Brydge (N)

Forde (Tog)

Stevens (R)

Bullis (E)

King (WG)

Furtaro (BG)

Sawicki (TG)