# Elmer Buss



## searcher44 (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi,

Just goggled a distant relative of mine and came to this site. His name was Elmer Buss. I dont know if this was the same Elmer H. Buss that was found on this site. I had been told many years ago that Elmer (middle name unknown) was a tail gunner in a B-17 and was killed in action. However the article that I am refering to states that "Elmer" was a waist gunner and killed. Can anyone help me determine if in fact this is my cousin. I have an 5x7 B&W photo of him in B-17 gear with a set of "Gunner Wings" on his jacket. Any help would be apperciated. Please advise here and to [email protected]. 

Thank you in advance.


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## syscom3 (Dec 4, 2008)

Do you have any other info, like his KIA date? Bomb group?


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## searcher44 (Dec 5, 2008)

No, I have nothing. His name was mentioned as a side gunner in the story on this site entitled "B-17 takes a beating". Thought maybe that the guy who wrote it would have some more info. I looked a little further and found a plane called the "Sweet Pea". But the picture of the crew did not have him listed. I am stumped!!!!!!


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## syscom3 (Dec 5, 2008)

searcher44 said:


> No, I have nothing. His name was mentioned as a side gunner in the story on this site entitled "B-17 takes a beating". Thought maybe that the guy who wrote it would have some more info. I looked a little further and found a plane called the "Sweet Pea". But the picture of the crew did not have him listed. I am stumped!!!!!!



Did he serve in the ETO? MTO? PTO?


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## Messy1 (Dec 7, 2008)

Greetings!


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## Thorlifter (Dec 7, 2008)

Welcome.


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## Wurger (Dec 8, 2008)

Greetings from Poland.


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## ccheese (Dec 8, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, Searcher. Hope you find what you're looking for....

Charles


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 8, 2008)

Well then looks like we got some digging to do


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 8, 2008)

This is where we need to start. If he indeed died he should be here now we just gotta cross-refrence them

100th BG (B-17): 8630 sorties, 177 lost in combat 
301st BG (B-17): 104 sorties, 1 lost in combat 
303rd BG (B-17): 10721 sorties, 165 lost in combat 
305th BG (B-17): 9231 sorties, 154 lost in combat 
306th BG (B-17): 9614 sorties, 171 lost in combat 
351st BG (B-17): 8600 sorties, 124 lost in combat 
379th BG (B-17): 10492 sorties, 141 lost in combat 
381st BG (B-17): 9035 sorties, 131 lost in combat 
384th BG (B-17): 9248 sorties, 159 lost in combat 
385th BG (B-17): 8264 sorties, 129 lost in combat 
390th BG (B-17): 8725 sorties, 144 lost in combat 
398th BG (B-17): 6419 sorties, 58 lost in combat 
401st BG (B-17): 7430 sorties, 95 lost in combat 
447th BG (B-17): 7605 sorties, 153 lost in combat 
452nd BG (B-17): 7279 sorties, 110 lost in combat 
457th BG (B-17): 7086 sorties, 83 lost in combat 
91st BG (B-17): 9591 sorties, 197 lost in combat 
92nd BG (B-17): 8633 sorties, 154 lost in combat 
94th BG (B-17): 8884 sorties, 153 lost in combat 
95th BG (B-17): 8903 sorties, 157 lost in combat 
96th BG (B-17): 8924 sorties, 189 lost in combat 
97th BG (B-17): 247 sorties, 4 lost in combat 
389th BG (B-24): 7579 sorties, 116 lost in combat 
392nd BG (B-24): 7060 sorties, 127 lost in combat 
445th BG (B-24): 7145 sorties, 108 lost in combat 
446th BG (B-24): 7259 sorties, 58 lost in combat 
448th BG (B-24): 9774 sorties, 101 lost in combat 
44th BG (B-24): 8009 sorties, 153 lost in combat 
453rd BG (B-24): 6655 sorties, 58 lost in combat 
458th BG (B-24): 5759 sorties, 47 lost in combat 
466th BG (B-24): 5762 sorties, 47 lost in combat 
467th BG (B-24): 5538 sorties, 29 lost in combat 
489th BG (B-24): 2998 sorties, 29 lost in combat 
491st BG (B-24): 5005 sorties, 47 lost in combat 
492nd BG (B-24): 1513 sorties, 51 lost in combat 
93rd BG (B-24): 8169 sorties, 100 lost in combat


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 8, 2008)

Shot at and Missed: Recollections of ... - Google Book Search

i thinks i found him. It does say here that he was a waist gunner
seesul was the one who put up the story


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## Denahue (Dec 8, 2008)

Greetings Searcher, Welcome....


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## searcher44 (Dec 9, 2008)

ETO, I would "assume". Like I said, I have only a picture and a story handed down. Just saw his name in that story and thought, "what are the odds?", ya know?


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 10, 2008)

yeah i hear ya his records are really hard to find. If i had a state of where he was born or something it would really help me


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 10, 2008)

ok i think i figured out what happened. The only reason he wasnt listed on the crew was because He had replaced Douglas E. Hicks as the waist gunner after mission 248 and the mission Buss had died on as Mission 275, only 10 flights after. Heres the record i could find

Last Name - First Name - Grade - Serial # - Sqn - Group - Date
BUSS ELMER 1 LT 0-675668 410 FS 373 FG 16-1-1945

heres the link for it
Air War Web Portal: US Cemetery Margraten Netherlands Names starting with a 'B'


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## searcher44 (Dec 10, 2008)

WOW, that was quick. Not sure if he was an officer or not. He was born in either Kansas or Oklahoma.


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## Njaco (Dec 10, 2008)

Welcome to the forum!!


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Dec 16, 2008)

wow this guy is really tough to find hmm i gotta dig a bit deeper


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## searcher44 (Jan 6, 2009)

So sorry for the delayed responce. Did some digging on my own. Found out he was with 2nd Bomb Group (Heavy) US Army Airforce. Sweet Pea was the bomber he was killed in. Nobody on that website seems to have any photos of him. I would like to be able to contact someone from that group who might have photos of that crew.


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## Doubl3Ac3 (Jan 9, 2009)

Its all good i'll see what else i can dig up for you


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