BFA

Bomber Flight A/C 894

A Virtual Cemetery created by Steve Franklin

4 memorials

2nd LT. John Franklin Co-Pilot432nd Bomber Squadron 17th Bomber Group Action report for Jan 7, 1943 AfricaWhat this shows is that their plane number 894 did not make it back from the bombing mission with the following crew. This is off of the Mission Schedule for that date. P Barnett, Lee W 2nd LT 0-791037CP Franklin, John W 2nd LT 0-791202B Weisbecker, Robert K. 2nd LT 0-660945RG Miller, Ralph L. S/Sgt EG Wells, Clifford L. S/Sgt. 34134118AG Swindle, Francis D S/Sgt. 37015398 It listed this aircraft call letter for the day as "J" and the fighter group call sign as "Pulpwood" and the bomber group call sign as "Pantain" The group flight leader as Major T. L. Bowen and the Commanding Officer as Lt. Col. Sigman-(not 100% on the spelling-hard to read). The intelligence narrative states the following for that day. Twenty-two B-26s of the 17th Bomb Group escorted by fourteen F-38s of the 52nd Fighter Group took off from this base today at 0815 to bomb the military barracks and the area of Gabee, Tunisia. Twenty-one B-26s returned safely to the base , one (1) B-26 is missing, this plane is reported to have turned back over the vicinity of Tamerez. There is a possibility it landed safely as the terrain in the vicinity of Tamerez is level. Thirteen (13) F-38s returned safely, one is reported to have been shot down. Enemy Aircraft: Five (5) M.E. 109s on patrol. Two of these made attacks on the bombers, they were engaged by the F-38s and one M.E. 109 was shot down. One Ju 88 on airdrone was on fire. Later in the intelligence narrative is states the following: Casulties: Missing six (6) - B-26 Ship number 41-17894 List the same six aircrew as above with each of their service serial numbers.Crew members with him that day that died and are on findagrave are Clifford L. Wells 43481063