B-17 flight to Oahu 7 Dec 1941

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P

Popeye53

Airman
13
11
Feb 8, 2022
On 6 December 1941, twelve B-17Es (four from the 38th Recon Squadron & eight from the 88th Recon Squadron) were scheduled to depart Hamilton Field for Hickam Field on Oahu. Two B-17Es from the 38th and one from the 88th (41-2411) did not depart, one from the 88th (41-2431) returned to Hamilton Field, two from the 38th (41-2408 & 2413) and six from the 88th (41-2416, 2429, 2430, 2432, 2433 & 2434) arrived over Oahu during the attack (as well as 4 B-17Cs from the 38th.) Can anyone tell me the serial numbers of the two 38th Recon Squadron B-17Es that failed to depart Hamilton Field on the 6th? Thanks!
 
No document explicitly giving the serial numbers, there were not a lot of B-17E at the time, 42 accepted to end November 1941, another 60 in December. David Osborne has complied a list of basic B-17 histories, for the first 50 B-17 41-2393 to 41-2442 they are,

41-2393 Del Wright Fd; Eglin 10/10/41; Ass Langley 28/12/41; trans Argentia, Nfd 8/1/42; w/C.J. Cochrane cr into snowbank at base 9/1/42 . Sal.
41-2394 Del Patterson 2/12/41; March 18/12/41; McDill 18/1/42; West Palm Beach, (Mercury 6AF) 4/3/42; Pendleton 3/8/42; Ogden 2/9/42; Boise 9/10/42; Oklahoma City 6/2/43; Hendricks, 6/7/43; w/Phil Bennett c/l base 7/7/43; RFC Albuquerque 9/6/45. HANGAR QUEEN.
41-2395 Del Wright Fd 20/10/41, then condemned `9/1/42 and used as static test a/c before WO 12/10/42.
41-2396 Del SAD 1/12/41; Ass 13AF Hawaii 8/8/42; tran 72BS/5BG Hickam Fd 18/9/42; w/Carl Wuertele f/l base 4/7/42; ditched off San Cristobal through engine failure, w/Capt Jack Thornhill 7/1/43; WO 15/6/44.
41-2397 Del SAD 2/12/41; Ass 13AF Hawaii 1/6/42; tran 431BS/11BG Hickam 25/10/42, then to 26BS; WO 31/10/44. JOE BFTSPLK.
41-2398 Del Wright Fd 13/10/41; Ass 36BS/28BG Elmendorf 3/3/42; Kodiak 21/3/42; Lockbourn, OH. 21/4/42; RetUS Tinker 17/7/43; RFC Altus 9/10/45.
41-2399 Del Boeing as experimental a/c flight testing 4/5/42; also at Oseola and Selfridge, MI. Fds. RFC Stillwater 19/9/45.
41-2400 Del Douglas Aircraft Corp. as model; WO 30/9/44; Recl Comp at Burbank, Cal. 20/3/46.
41-2401 Del Douglas (Vega) as XB-38 with Allison V-1710 liquid cooled four-engine product assigned for USAAF to Lockheed-Vega to study four V-1710-89 V-12 liquid-cooled engines to contrast standard air-cooled Wright Cyclones along with other modifications. It first flew 19/5/43, but c/l Tipton, Cal. 16/6/43 due to engine fire and one passenger killed. Sal.
41-2402 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; Ass 50RS/11BG Hickam Fd 1/6/42; ditched on search/attack mission w/Earl J. Cooper, down 40 m Sth Kauai Is 27/12/41, crew KIA.
41-2403 Del SAD 8/11/41; Ass 42BS/11BG Hickam/Wheeler 20/10/42, then to 26BS; ditched off Guadalcanal 26/1/43 w/Capt Woodruff and Gen. Nathan Twining aboard. WO 16/7/44.
41-2404 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; Ass 431BS/11BG Hickam 4/3/42; ditched in sea 12/9/42 w/John Van Haur. WO 15/6/44. THE SPIDER.
41-2405 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; March 18/12/41; Langley 11/1/42; Bolling 29/11/42; Langley 10/12/42; Olmstead 22/2/43; Langley 6/3/43; Mitchell 8/6/43; Cherry Pt 5/7/43; Mitchell 11/7/43; RFC Kingman 19/10/45.
41-2406 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 22BS/7BG Java 13/1/42 w/Major Ken Hobson; c/l Madera Is, Cat E, w/Ken Hobson 25/2/42. WO 31/10/44.
41-2407 Del/Ass Wright Fd, Air Material Command as test a/c. RFC storage at Davis-Monthan 1/8/46.
41-2408 Del Salt Lake SAD 8/1/41; Ass 38RBS/19BG [a/c 34], one of the aircraft arriving over Pearl Harbor 7/1/41 w/Lt Karl Barthelmess, Lt Larry Sheehan, Lt Chas Bergdoll, Avn Cdt John Adams, T/Sgt Roy Coulter, S/Sgt Nick Kahlefent, S/Sgt Lee Embree, Sgt Vance Spears, Cpl Ray Joslin; used for Gen McArthur's rescue attempt 25/3/42; trans 40BS/7BG, then 65BS/43BG Wheeler; then trans 54 Troop Carrier Wing Nov/43. Sal in Brisbane, Aus. 14/10/44.
41-2409 Del Salt Lake SAD 12/1/41; Ass 431BS/11BG Hickam 30/1/42; wore shadow shading camouflage, c/l Guadalcanal w/Bill Keys 25/11/42. WO 20/9/43. OLD MAID.
41-2410 Del Salt Lake SAD 12/1/41; Ass March 28/12/41; Langley 11/1/42; Jacksonville,Fl. 9/5/42; Presque Is 19/3/43; Occident 11/5/43; Mitchell 6/6/43; Smoky Hill, 3/6/44; San Bernardino, 31/12/45; Recl Comp 30/4/46.
41-2411 Del Salt Lake SAD 10/10/41; Ass 6AF 20/12/41; Panama, CZ. 25/12/41; Guatemala 15/4/42; SAAD 28/7/42; Guatemala 5/12/42. OLD MISS 11. (?Evacuated Java 28/2/42 to Ceylon, ending up in India 3/42 with 7BG. May have been the a/c lost on Andaman Is 1942?).
41-2412 Del Salt Lake SAD 10/11/41; Ass 6AF 25/12/41; SAAD 21/3/42; Guatemala 4/10/42; RetUS Tinker 3/8/44; RFC Arledge, 23/11/44. (?Ass 7BG, damaged on ground at Bandeng, Jave, 20/2/42?)
41-2413 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; ass 38RS/19BG [a/c 30], was one of the a/c that arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Maj Truman H. Landon, Lt Bill Ellis, Lt George Newton, Lt Chester Budz, Avn Cdt Erwin Cihak, M/Sgt John Meeks, T/Sgt Jesse Schneider, S/Sgt Albt Brawley, Sgt Ben Hale; tran 42BS/11BG Hickam 30/12/42; tran 5AF 31/8/44; WO 11/6/44.
41-2414 Del Salt Lake SAD 9/11/41; cr burned out Ft Douglas 12/11/41. Sal.
41-2415 Del Salt Lake SAD 28/11/41; Ass 26BS/11BG; tran 31BS/5BG Hickam 10/11/42; shot down during battle of Midway 5/6/42 w/Robert Porter. CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
41-2416 Del Salt Lake SAD 9/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 13] then 40BS/19BG Hickam, one of the a/c arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Lt Frank Bostrom, Lt Wilson Cook, Lt Earl Sheggrud, Avn Cdt Bob Carruthers, T/Sgt Herb Collins, S/Sgt Les Hansen, Pfc Herb Wheatley, Pfc Elwood Shouldis, Pfc Clyde Horn; tran 88RS/19BG; then 7BG; Damaged Townsville, Aus 22/2/42; eventually through Batchelor Fd, Aus. and to Del Monte, Phil. for a sortie against Japs landings at Legaspi 3/42; WO at Brisbane 31/1/44. Scrapped Oct 44. SAN ANTONIO ROSE.
41-2417 Del Salt Lake SAD 19/1/41; Ass 28BS/19BG Hawaii; tran (Project X) 19/2/42 w/McPherson; 63BS/43BG Java 19/2/42; cr Queensland, Aus 6/7/42 w/Thompson. Sal 1944. MONKEY BIZZ-NESS.
41-2418 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 25BS/6BG 25/12/41; Panama 1/6/42; Puerto Rico 11/7/42; Guatemala 10/8/42; Ret US Brownsville 3/10/42; Guatemala 8/1/43; Albrook, CZ 14/1/43; mid-air collision w/Bill Ellerbe 17/5/43, f/l Guayaquil, Ecuador; WO 26/6/46.(? Ass 19BG and destroyed on ground at Bandoeng, Java, 20/2/42?).
41-2419 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; ass 22BS/7BG Java 13/1/42 w/Jack Hughes; c/l Palembang, Sumatra 22/2/42 w/Jack Hughes; WO 9/1/45.
41-2420 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; Ass 42BS/11BG 15/12/41; Hickam 22/7/42; s/d and ditched Doma Cove, Guadalcanal 24/9/42 w/Capt Charles E. Norton and crew who were executed by Japs; found by Seebees Jan/44. BESSIE THE JAP BASHER.
41-2421 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 40BS/19BG Australia; c/l and burnt out Horn Is 16/7/42 w/Clarence E. McPherson; WO 31/10/44 and used for components.
41-2422 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; Ass 3BS/6BG 27/2/42; Guatemala 15/5/42; SAAD 25/7/42; Guatemala 19/8/42; Howard Fd, CZ 1/43; c/l David Fd, Panama w/Neal Peterson, cp-George Wajagich, n-John Reep, b-Art Adler, plus Francis Dawson, Chas Greene, Elbert Ball, Warren Harding, John Saul, John Vukus, Bob Merchant, Harry Bullard (12RTD) 14/7/43; WO 5/8/43.
41-2423 Del Salt Lake SAD 28/11/41; March 18/12/41; Ass 7BG but used on Project X McDill/Bakers Fd 25/12/41; cr Clewiston, FL 5/1/42 w/Richard Craig. Sal.
41-2424 Del Salt Lake SAD 1/12/41; Ass 19BG Hawaii 27/12/41; (shot down, date unknown ?) Guatemala 15/4/42; RetUS Tinker 25/6/42, RFC Altus 20/8/45.
41-2425 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 6AF Panama 30/12/41; Guatemala 15/4/42; Puerto Rico 31/7/42; Guatemala 10/9/42; Panama 23/11/42; RetUS Tinker 22/7/44; RFC Albuquerque 2/8/45.
41-2426 Del Salt Lake SAD 16/11/41; Ass 431BS/11BG; MIA on recon. flight over Northern Solomon Is. w/Major Marion N. Pharr, Sqd CO, 7/8/42 [a/c No.42]. (? RetUS Hendricks 12/2/44; Recl Comp 31/12/45 ?).
41-2427 Del Salt Lake SAD 25/11/41; Ass 19BG and 9BS/7BG Java (Project X) 28/1/42 w/E. Habberstad; strafed Singosari 3/2/42. Sal, WO 31/10/44.
41-2428 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 98BS/11BG Hickam 26/10/42, then 42BS; MIA 28/12/42 w/James R. Harp. OL' SHASTA.
41-2429 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 11] then 19BG Hickam, arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Capt Rich H. Carmichael, Capt Jim Twaddell, Lt Don Tower, Lt Kermit Meyers, Avn Cdt Theo Pascoe, T/Sgt Wallace Carter, S/Sgt Jack Tribble, S/Sgt Sam Tower, S/Sgt Harry Boyer; tran 40BS then 93BS; s/d Rabual, New Britain 7/8/42 in McArthur's staff rescue attempt, w/Harl Pease (MOH), F/Sgt Fred Earp (RAAF), Wood, R. Burleson, Matson, A. Liimataien, Brown, C. Czechowski; two crewmen survived but later executed; MACR 16020. WO 15/6/44. WHY DON'T WE DO THIS MORE OFTEN ?
41-2430 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG Hickam during Jap raid on Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Lt Harry Chaffin, Lt Mabry Simmons, Lt Walt Johnson, Avn Cdt Hubert Mobley, T/Sgt Russ Mackey, S/Sgt Lucius Weeks, Sgt Irving McMichael, Pfc Bob Barnard; tran 40BS/19BG; then 65BS/43BG; s/d over Vunakanau 26/6/43 w/Charles Trimmingham; nav Holguin only POW, later executed at Rabaul, New Britain; WO 28/6/43. MACR 14590. NAUGHTY BUT NICE.
41-2431 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 7BG Java then to 26BS & 42BS/43BG Hickam 19/11/42; RetUS 11/1/44 (known as a gas hog!); Scott 17/1/45; Chanute 21/1/45; RFC Walnut Ridge 12/10/45.
41-2432 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 22], flew in to Pearl Harbor during Jap attack 7/12/41 w/Lt Bob Thacker, Lt Don Surles, Lt Red Stewart, Avn Cdt Albt Hobday, S/Sgt Cal Russell, Sgt Howard Beck, Sgt Cyril LaLancet, Pfc Edwin Rhodes; tran 40RS-28BS/7BG; 19BG; 63BS/43BG; 443TCG/54TCW 8/12/43; WO 12/1/45. THE LAST STRAW.
41-2433 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 25] flew into Pearl Harbor during Jap attack 7/12/41 w/Harry Brandon, Lt Bob Ramsey, Avn Cdt Harry Snider, T/Sgt Jim Helton, S/Sgt Dave Barnard, S/Sgt Ralph Mouser, Sgt Wayne Johnson, Pvt Bill Sutton; 11BG Hickam 30/4/42, f/l Bellows Fd w/R.D. Steppe 18/5/42; rep & tran 7BG and 26BS/11BG; RetUS 1/9/44 Hendricks; Yuma 31/10/44; RFC Albuquerque 25/6/45.
41-2434 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 29] Hickam, flew into Pearl Harbor during Jap raid 7/12/41 w/Lt Dave Rawls, Lt John Compton, Avn Cdt Bob Jones, S/Sgt Bob Dunn, S/Sgt Wilson Palmer, Sgt Bob Palmer, Sgt Sheldon Beaton, Pfc Abe Francisco; then tran 19BG, tran 40BS & 65BS/43BG; while on test flight for a new flare-dropping mechanism, the device malfunctioned, the flare exploded inside the aircraft which crashed off Yorkey Knob, near Cairns, en route Aus 17/8/42, w/Paul M. Lindsay and 30RS CO Maj Dean C.Hoevet, the whole crew were KIS. WO 31/10/44.
41-2435 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 30BS/19BG Hickam; (?7BG?) Java; s/d off Buna Pt, New Guinea 12/8/42 w/Watson; WO 31/10/44.
41-2436 Del McDill 25/12/41; f/l Habbaniya, Iraq, w/R.J. Reed 14/1/42; tran 7BG Java Project X 29/2/42; RetUS Bolling 16/8/42; Langley 9/7/44; Selfridge 6/7/45; RFC Altus 24/9/45.
41-2437 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12/41; Ass 98BS/11BG Hickam 25/10/42; WO 15/6/44. (Figured in Midway TV Documentary.)
41-2438 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 12] 40RS/19BG Hickam 26/12/41; RetUS Nov /42; Tinker 16/12/43; Ass RCAF [9206]; 168th Heavy Transport Sq Rockcliffe, Ontario; Used for VIPs and mail to Prestwick, Scotland. Sold to Argentina as LV-RTO, SOC 1964.
41-2439 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12//41; Ass Project X 22/2/42; Mobile 16/11/42; Sebring 4/1/43; RFC Albuquerque 25/6/45.
41-2440 Del Salt Lake SAD 21/1/41; Ass 40RS/19BG Hickam 26/12/41; tran (42BS) 38BS/11BG; then 43BG, 394BS/5BG; RetUS Lambert, MO. 7/3/44; Chanute 1/2/45; Recl Comp 15/7/46. CALAMITY JANE. (?Ditched off Duma Pt 24/9/42, out of gas. Crew rescued then executed. Wreck still there in 60ft down?)
41-2441 Del Salt Lake SAD 3/12/41; Ass 6AF Howard, Panama 27/12/41; Guatemala 6/3/42; cr in sea 7/1/43, all equip lost.
41-2442 Del Salt Lake SAD 3/12/41; Ass 7BG Java then 42BS/11BG Hickam 22/7/42; cr Shortland Bay 1/2/43 w/Capt Harold B. Hensley. YOKOHAMA EXPRESS.
 

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I notice eight of those listed as arriving over Pearl Harbor during the attack carried an Aviation Cadet as part of crew. Can anyone shed light as to why an Aviation Cadet would be aircrew? Was that his official rank? Were they let out of program early? What was their eventual history? The makings of a book here.
 
Geoffrey Sinclair said:
No document explicitly giving the serial numbers, there were not a lot of B-17E at the time, 42 accepted to end November 1941, another 60 in December. David Osborne has complied a list of basic B-17 histories, for the first 50 B-17 41-2393 to 41-2442 they are,

41-2393 Del Wright Fd; Eglin 10/10/41; Ass Langley 28/12/41; trans Argentia, Nfd 8/1/42; w/C.J. Cochrane cr into snowbank at base 9/1/42 . Sal.
41-2394 Del Patterson 2/12/41; March 18/12/41; McDill 18/1/42; West Palm Beach, (Mercury 6AF) 4/3/42; Pendleton 3/8/42; Ogden 2/9/42; Boise 9/10/42; Oklahoma City 6/2/43; Hendricks, 6/7/43; w/Phil Bennett c/l base 7/7/43; RFC Albuquerque 9/6/45. HANGAR QUEEN.
41-2395 Del Wright Fd 20/10/41, then condemned `9/1/42 and used as static test a/c before WO 12/10/42.
41-2396 Del SAD 1/12/41; Ass 13AF Hawaii 8/8/42; tran 72BS/5BG Hickam Fd 18/9/42; w/Carl Wuertele f/l base 4/7/42; ditched off San Cristobal through engine failure, w/Capt Jack Thornhill 7/1/43; WO 15/6/44.
41-2397 Del SAD 2/12/41; Ass 13AF Hawaii 1/6/42; tran 431BS/11BG Hickam 25/10/42, then to 26BS; WO 31/10/44. JOE BFTSPLK.
41-2398 Del Wright Fd 13/10/41; Ass 36BS/28BG Elmendorf 3/3/42; Kodiak 21/3/42; Lockbourn, OH. 21/4/42; RetUS Tinker 17/7/43; RFC Altus 9/10/45.
41-2399 Del Boeing as experimental a/c flight testing 4/5/42; also at Oseola and Selfridge, MI. Fds. RFC Stillwater 19/9/45.
41-2400 Del Douglas Aircraft Corp. as model; WO 30/9/44; Recl Comp at Burbank, Cal. 20/3/46.
41-2401 Del Douglas (Vega) as XB-38 with Allison V-1710 liquid cooled four-engine product assigned for USAAF to Lockheed-Vega to study four V-1710-89 V-12 liquid-cooled engines to contrast standard air-cooled Wright Cyclones along with other modifications. It first flew 19/5/43, but c/l Tipton, Cal. 16/6/43 due to engine fire and one passenger killed. Sal.
41-2402 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; Ass 50RS/11BG Hickam Fd 1/6/42; ditched on search/attack mission w/Earl J. Cooper, down 40 m Sth Kauai Is 27/12/41, crew KIA.
41-2403 Del SAD 8/11/41; Ass 42BS/11BG Hickam/Wheeler 20/10/42, then to 26BS; ditched off Guadalcanal 26/1/43 w/Capt Woodruff and Gen. Nathan Twining aboard. WO 16/7/44.
41-2404 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; Ass 431BS/11BG Hickam 4/3/42; ditched in sea 12/9/42 w/John Van Haur. WO 15/6/44. THE SPIDER.
41-2405 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; March 18/12/41; Langley 11/1/42; Bolling 29/11/42; Langley 10/12/42; Olmstead 22/2/43; Langley 6/3/43; Mitchell 8/6/43; Cherry Pt 5/7/43; Mitchell 11/7/43; RFC Kingman 19/10/45.
41-2406 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 22BS/7BG Java 13/1/42 w/Major Ken Hobson; c/l Madera Is, Cat E, w/Ken Hobson 25/2/42. WO 31/10/44.
41-2407 Del/Ass Wright Fd, Air Material Command as test a/c. RFC storage at Davis-Monthan 1/8/46.
41-2408 Del Salt Lake SAD 8/1/41; Ass 38RBS/19BG [a/c 34], one of the aircraft arriving over Pearl Harbor 7/1/41 w/Lt Karl Barthelmess, Lt Larry Sheehan, Lt Chas Bergdoll, Avn Cdt John Adams, T/Sgt Roy Coulter, S/Sgt Nick Kahlefent, S/Sgt Lee Embree, Sgt Vance Spears, Cpl Ray Joslin; used for Gen McArthur's rescue attempt 25/3/42; trans 40BS/7BG, then 65BS/43BG Wheeler; then trans 54 Troop Carrier Wing Nov/43. Sal in Brisbane, Aus. 14/10/44.
41-2409 Del Salt Lake SAD 12/1/41; Ass 431BS/11BG Hickam 30/1/42; wore shadow shading camouflage, c/l Guadalcanal w/Bill Keys 25/11/42. WO 20/9/43. OLD MAID.
41-2410 Del Salt Lake SAD 12/1/41; Ass March 28/12/41; Langley 11/1/42; Jacksonville,Fl. 9/5/42; Presque Is 19/3/43; Occident 11/5/43; Mitchell 6/6/43; Smoky Hill, 3/6/44; San Bernardino, 31/12/45; Recl Comp 30/4/46.
41-2411 Del Salt Lake SAD 10/10/41; Ass 6AF 20/12/41; Panama, CZ. 25/12/41; Guatemala 15/4/42; SAAD 28/7/42; Guatemala 5/12/42. OLD MISS 11. (?Evacuated Java 28/2/42 to Ceylon, ending up in India 3/42 with 7BG. May have been the a/c lost on Andaman Is 1942?).
41-2412 Del Salt Lake SAD 10/11/41; Ass 6AF 25/12/41; SAAD 21/3/42; Guatemala 4/10/42; RetUS Tinker 3/8/44; RFC Arledge, 23/11/44. (?Ass 7BG, damaged on ground at Bandeng, Jave, 20/2/42?)
41-2413 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; ass 38RS/19BG [a/c 30], was one of the a/c that arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Maj Truman H. Landon, Lt Bill Ellis, Lt George Newton, Lt Chester Budz, Avn Cdt Erwin Cihak, M/Sgt John Meeks, T/Sgt Jesse Schneider, S/Sgt Albt Brawley, Sgt Ben Hale; tran 42BS/11BG Hickam 30/12/42; tran 5AF 31/8/44; WO 11/6/44.
41-2414 Del Salt Lake SAD 9/11/41; cr burned out Ft Douglas 12/11/41. Sal.
41-2415 Del Salt Lake SAD 28/11/41; Ass 26BS/11BG; tran 31BS/5BG Hickam 10/11/42; shot down during battle of Midway 5/6/42 w/Robert Porter. CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
41-2416 Del Salt Lake SAD 9/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 13] then 40BS/19BG Hickam, one of the a/c arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Lt Frank Bostrom, Lt Wilson Cook, Lt Earl Sheggrud, Avn Cdt Bob Carruthers, T/Sgt Herb Collins, S/Sgt Les Hansen, Pfc Herb Wheatley, Pfc Elwood Shouldis, Pfc Clyde Horn; tran 88RS/19BG; then 7BG; Damaged Townsville, Aus 22/2/42; eventually through Batchelor Fd, Aus. and to Del Monte, Phil. for a sortie against Japs landings at Legaspi 3/42; WO at Brisbane 31/1/44. Scrapped Oct 44. SAN ANTONIO ROSE.
41-2417 Del Salt Lake SAD 19/1/41; Ass 28BS/19BG Hawaii; tran (Project X) 19/2/42 w/McPherson; 63BS/43BG Java 19/2/42; cr Queensland, Aus 6/7/42 w/Thompson. Sal 1944. MONKEY BIZZ-NESS.
41-2418 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 25BS/6BG 25/12/41; Panama 1/6/42; Puerto Rico 11/7/42; Guatemala 10/8/42; Ret US Brownsville 3/10/42; Guatemala 8/1/43; Albrook, CZ 14/1/43; mid-air collision w/Bill Ellerbe 17/5/43, f/l Guayaquil, Ecuador; WO 26/6/46.(? Ass 19BG and destroyed on ground at Bandoeng, Java, 20/2/42?).
41-2419 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; ass 22BS/7BG Java 13/1/42 w/Jack Hughes; c/l Palembang, Sumatra 22/2/42 w/Jack Hughes; WO 9/1/45.
41-2420 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; Ass 42BS/11BG 15/12/41; Hickam 22/7/42; s/d and ditched Doma Cove, Guadalcanal 24/9/42 w/Capt Charles E. Norton and crew who were executed by Japs; found by Seebees Jan/44. BESSIE THE JAP BASHER.
41-2421 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 40BS/19BG Australia; c/l and burnt out Horn Is 16/7/42 w/Clarence E. McPherson; WO 31/10/44 and used for components.
41-2422 Del Salt Lake SAD 24/11/41; Ass 3BS/6BG 27/2/42; Guatemala 15/5/42; SAAD 25/7/42; Guatemala 19/8/42; Howard Fd, CZ 1/43; c/l David Fd, Panama w/Neal Peterson, cp-George Wajagich, n-John Reep, b-Art Adler, plus Francis Dawson, Chas Greene, Elbert Ball, Warren Harding, John Saul, John Vukus, Bob Merchant, Harry Bullard (12RTD) 14/7/43; WO 5/8/43.
41-2423 Del Salt Lake SAD 28/11/41; March 18/12/41; Ass 7BG but used on Project X McDill/Bakers Fd 25/12/41; cr Clewiston, FL 5/1/42 w/Richard Craig. Sal.
41-2424 Del Salt Lake SAD 1/12/41; Ass 19BG Hawaii 27/12/41; (shot down, date unknown ?) Guatemala 15/4/42; RetUS Tinker 25/6/42, RFC Altus 20/8/45.
41-2425 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 6AF Panama 30/12/41; Guatemala 15/4/42; Puerto Rico 31/7/42; Guatemala 10/9/42; Panama 23/11/42; RetUS Tinker 22/7/44; RFC Albuquerque 2/8/45.
41-2426 Del Salt Lake SAD 16/11/41; Ass 431BS/11BG; MIA on recon. flight over Northern Solomon Is. w/Major Marion N. Pharr, Sqd CO, 7/8/42 [a/c No.42]. (? RetUS Hendricks 12/2/44; Recl Comp 31/12/45 ?).
41-2427 Del Salt Lake SAD 25/11/41; Ass 19BG and 9BS/7BG Java (Project X) 28/1/42 w/E. Habberstad; strafed Singosari 3/2/42. Sal, WO 31/10/44.
41-2428 Del Salt Lake SAD 26/11/41; Ass 98BS/11BG Hickam 26/10/42, then 42BS; MIA 28/12/42 w/James R. Harp. OL' SHASTA.
41-2429 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 11] then 19BG Hickam, arrived over Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Capt Rich H. Carmichael, Capt Jim Twaddell, Lt Don Tower, Lt Kermit Meyers, Avn Cdt Theo Pascoe, T/Sgt Wallace Carter, S/Sgt Jack Tribble, S/Sgt Sam Tower, S/Sgt Harry Boyer; tran 40BS then 93BS; s/d Rabual, New Britain 7/8/42 in McArthur's staff rescue attempt, w/Harl Pease (MOH), F/Sgt Fred Earp (RAAF), Wood, R. Burleson, Matson, A. Liimataien, Brown, C. Czechowski; two crewmen survived but later executed; MACR 16020. WO 15/6/44. WHY DON'T WE DO THIS MORE OFTEN ?
41-2430 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG Hickam during Jap raid on Pearl Harbor 7/12/41 w/Lt Harry Chaffin, Lt Mabry Simmons, Lt Walt Johnson, Avn Cdt Hubert Mobley, T/Sgt Russ Mackey, S/Sgt Lucius Weeks, Sgt Irving McMichael, Pfc Bob Barnard; tran 40BS/19BG; then 65BS/43BG; s/d over Vunakanau 26/6/43 w/Charles Trimmingham; nav Holguin only POW, later executed at Rabaul, New Britain; WO 28/6/43. MACR 14590. NAUGHTY BUT NICE.
41-2431 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 7BG Java then to 26BS & 42BS/43BG Hickam 19/11/42; RetUS 11/1/44 (known as a gas hog!); Scott 17/1/45; Chanute 21/1/45; RFC Walnut Ridge 12/10/45.
41-2432 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 22], flew in to Pearl Harbor during Jap attack 7/12/41 w/Lt Bob Thacker, Lt Don Surles, Lt Red Stewart, Avn Cdt Albt Hobday, S/Sgt Cal Russell, Sgt Howard Beck, Sgt Cyril LaLancet, Pfc Edwin Rhodes; tran 40RS-28BS/7BG; 19BG; 63BS/43BG; 443TCG/54TCW 8/12/43; WO 12/1/45. THE LAST STRAW.
41-2433 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 25] flew into Pearl Harbor during Jap attack 7/12/41 w/Harry Brandon, Lt Bob Ramsey, Avn Cdt Harry Snider, T/Sgt Jim Helton, S/Sgt Dave Barnard, S/Sgt Ralph Mouser, Sgt Wayne Johnson, Pvt Bill Sutton; 11BG Hickam 30/4/42, f/l Bellows Fd w/R.D. Steppe 18/5/42; rep & tran 7BG and 26BS/11BG; RetUS 1/9/44 Hendricks; Yuma 31/10/44; RFC Albuquerque 25/6/45.
41-2434 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 29] Hickam, flew into Pearl Harbor during Jap raid 7/12/41 w/Lt Dave Rawls, Lt John Compton, Avn Cdt Bob Jones, S/Sgt Bob Dunn, S/Sgt Wilson Palmer, Sgt Bob Palmer, Sgt Sheldon Beaton, Pfc Abe Francisco; then tran 19BG, tran 40BS & 65BS/43BG; while on test flight for a new flare-dropping mechanism, the device malfunctioned, the flare exploded inside the aircraft which crashed off Yorkey Knob, near Cairns, en route Aus 17/8/42, w/Paul M. Lindsay and 30RS CO Maj Dean C.Hoevet, the whole crew were KIS. WO 31/10/44.
41-2435 Del Salt Lake SAD 30/11/41; Ass 30BS/19BG Hickam; (?7BG?) Java; s/d off Buna Pt, New Guinea 12/8/42 w/Watson; WO 31/10/44.
41-2436 Del McDill 25/12/41; f/l Habbaniya, Iraq, w/R.J. Reed 14/1/42; tran 7BG Java Project X 29/2/42; RetUS Bolling 16/8/42; Langley 9/7/44; Selfridge 6/7/45; RFC Altus 24/9/45.
41-2437 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12/41; Ass 98BS/11BG Hickam 25/10/42; WO 15/6/44. (Figured in Midway TV Documentary.)
41-2438 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12/41; Ass 88RS/7BG [a/c 12] 40RS/19BG Hickam 26/12/41; RetUS Nov /42; Tinker 16/12/43; Ass RCAF [9206]; 168th Heavy Transport Sq Rockcliffe, Ontario; Used for VIPs and mail to Prestwick, Scotland. Sold to Argentina as LV-RTO, SOC 1964.
41-2439 Del Salt Lake SAD 2/12//41; Ass Project X 22/2/42; Mobile 16/11/42; Sebring 4/1/43; RFC Albuquerque 25/6/45.
41-2440 Del Salt Lake SAD 21/1/41; Ass 40RS/19BG Hickam 26/12/41; tran (42BS) 38BS/11BG; then 43BG, 394BS/5BG; RetUS Lambert, MO. 7/3/44; Chanute 1/2/45; Recl Comp 15/7/46. CALAMITY JANE. (?Ditched off Duma Pt 24/9/42, out of gas. Crew rescued then executed. Wreck still there in 60ft down?)
41-2441 Del Salt Lake SAD 3/12/41; Ass 6AF Howard, Panama 27/12/41; Guatemala 6/3/42; cr in sea 7/1/43, all equip lost.
41-2442 Del Salt Lake SAD 3/12/41; Ass 7BG Java then 42BS/11BG Hickam 22/7/42; cr Shortland Bay 1/2/43 w/Capt Harold B. Hensley. YOKOHAMA EXPRESS.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! That looks like the same information I've been able to locate. Most of the B-17Es delivered by 7 December were either allocated to 7th Bomb Group, or sent to the Material Division, Boeing or Douglas to be used as test/model aircraft. The exception is the four aircraft assigned to the 38th Recon Squadron of the 19th Bomb Group. While most of the aircraft of the 38th & 88th Recon Squadrons flew of into the history books by arriving over Oahu on the morning of the 7th, two B-17Es of the 38th remained at Hamilton Field, and I can't find out anything about them. After the attack, it seems like the B-17s on the West Coast were all thrown together into a big pot, and unit cohesion seems to have gone by the wayside. The aircraft were doled out piecemeal over the next month or so to the AAF units in Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Australia (by a variety of routes). Trying to determine where the aircraft were assigned just prior to the attack, has been a challange.
 
If you already have the basic aircraft data then that leaves examination of the unit history, which means the USAF Air Force Historical Research Agency AFHRA
Contact Us Note what they say about a backlog, or try a visit.

The 38th Reconnaissance Squadron was redesignated the 427th Bombardment Squadron on 22 April 1942.
The 88th Reconnaissance Squadron was redesignated the 436th Bombardment Squadron on 22 April 1942.

The individual aircraft record cards might have more details, there are copies at the Smithsonian United States Air Force Aircraft History Cards Microfilm | Collection | SOVA
Alternatively at AFHRA, Air Force Historical Research Agency which will also sell you copies, you want reels (PDFs) ACR-22 and ACR-23

Air Force Pearl Harbor story online to see what it says aboutthe B-17 and the crews.
HyperWar: 7 December 1941: The Air Force Story for HTML
https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/17/2001329818/-1/-1/0/AFD-100917-040.pdf for PDF.

Also Shot Down at Pearl Harbor - Air Force Magazine

"Combat photographer" as a candidate for the junior man on board?
 
special ed said:
I would still like to know why Aviation Cadets were part of the aircrew on eight b-17s.
Click to expand...
A good question but I would "guess" that they had an opportunity to participate in this flight while training. I know in today's world you would find ROTC and Academy cadets participating in non-combat missions depending on the aircraft and unit.
 
FLYBOYJ said:
A good question but I would "guess" that they had an opportunity to participate in this flight while training. I know in today's world you would find ROTC and Academy cadets participating in non-combat missions depending on the aircraft and unit.
Click to expand...
I did this exact thing in 1987 (Junior year of college) by going to Homestead AFB and flying with the F-16 units there. I think I got 8 rides in a two week period. As I rolled in the USAFA cadets where leaving (they participate as well).

Cheers,
Biff
 
USAFA cadets flew orientation flights in the US but I can't think of any operational missions outside the US. As passengers in transports to other countries, yes.
 
emu27 said:
Given the date they could possibly have been hitching a ride on leave.
Click to expand...
Not likely - they stripped the bombers down to the bare essentials to make the flight, additional bodies aboard would have been a weight penalty against their range.

So they were essential in one way or another.
 
41-2420 Del Salt Lake SAD 20/11/41; Ass 42BS/11BG 15/12/41; Hickam 22/7/42; s/d and ditched Doma Cove, Guadalcanal 24/9/42 w/Capt Charles E. Norton and crew who were executed by Japs; found by Seebees Jan/44. BESSIE THE JAP BASHER.

Hawai 1942

1645184350510.png


1645184461504.png


www.ebay.com

1942 WWII GI's Hawaii photo #4 N. Shore? airstrip B-17 ? airplane Tail #12420 | eBay

Palmyra Island, Christmas Island in 1943, then back to Hawaii. Next stop Tarawa, Abaing, Makin in the Gilbert Islands, back to Hawaii.
www.ebay.com

www.ebay.com

1942 WWII GI's Hawaii photo N. Shore? airstrip #3 B-17 ? airplane Tail #12420 | eBay

Palmyra Island, Christmas Island in 1943, then back to Hawaii. Next stop Tarawa, Abaing, Makin in the Gilbert Islands, back to Hawaii.
www.ebay.com
 
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