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I never knew one of them landed on a golf course. Groundskeeper must have been annoyed.
Not to mention the foursome playing that fairway!I never knew one of them landed on a golf course. Groundskeeper must have been annoyed.
San Antonio Rose playing through on the back nine.Most people know the story of the twelve B-17s that arrived over Oahu during the attack on 7 December 1941:
View attachment 703906
Can anyone identify the four aircraft that did not take off or returned to Hamilton Field?
Thanks!!! Looks like I have another book to add to my "wish list..."The three known serial numbers of the four aborts are as follows, although there is some uncertainty regarding Hastings' aircraft...
B-17E, 41-2431 - Ezzard
B-17E, 41-????? - Potter (the A.C. Serial No. is not on the field order)
B-17C, 40-2070? - Hastings
B-17C, 40-2059 - Zubko
Note that, per 38th Reconnaissance Squadron Special Orders No. 1, the unit had only two B-17Es... Landon and Barthelmess. In the next few days, I will try to scan the field/special orders that contain the crew rosters, and then load them up to this thread.
Incidentally, to the best of my knowledge I believe that--as of 7 December 1941--the aircraft bore no nicknames and/or nose art. I suppose that I could be in error there, but it would certainly be nice to see some evidence to the contrary. I'm always open to that.
The golf course incident and the story of Frank Bostrom intrigued me for many years. In my conversations with the family, his grandson was quite insistent regarding the veracity of the story, although I had my doubts. What helped me to understand the account of the golf course was an Army Air Force aerial photograph of the emergency landing field at Kahuku from 1937. The "field" was simply a large open-space (rolled areas for runways, apparently), with what is very obviously a golf course out to the west side.
I have attached that image to illustrate the lay of the land. My memories of the golf course on which I plodded behind my Dad so many years ago ("Willow Springs," Wilson, NC), always contaminated my "theater of the mind," with visions of narrow, tree-lined fairways, etc. Clearly, the Hawaiian golf course (which is still there) built for the Kahuku Sugar Mill bigwigs was nothing like that at all.
View attachment 705510
In all probability, Bostrom simply landed in the open area to the east, out closer to the water. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this photograph as it went a long way toward explaining--to my relief--that the golf course story was NOT a myth.
By way of shameless self-promotion, the "full" story of the B-17/B-24 flights into Hickam and their background is in a book that I wrote (with co-authors)... They're Killing My Boys: The History of Hickam Field and the Attacks of 7 December 1941.
Mike Wenger
Mike,The three known serial numbers of the four aborts are as follows, although there is some uncertainty regarding Hastings' aircraft...
B-17E, 41-2431 - Ezzard
B-17E, 41-????? - Potter (the A.C. Serial No. is not on the field order)
B-17C, 40-2070? - Hastings
B-17C, 40-2059 - Zubko
Note that, per 38th Reconnaissance Squadron Special Orders No. 1, the unit had only two B-17Es... Landon and Barthelmess. In the next few days, I will try to scan the field/special orders that contain the crew rosters, and then load them up to this thread.
Incidentally, to the best of my knowledge I believe that--as of 7 December 1941--the aircraft bore no nicknames and/or nose art. I suppose that I could be in error there, but it would certainly be nice to see some evidence to the contrary. I'm always open to that.
The golf course incident and the story of Frank Bostrom intrigued me for many years. In my conversations with the family, his grandson was quite insistent regarding the veracity of the story, although I had my doubts. What helped me to understand the account of the golf course was an Army Air Force aerial photograph of the emergency landing field at Kahuku from 1937. The "field" was simply a large open-space (rolled areas for runways, apparently), with what is very obviously a golf course out to the west side.
I have attached that image to illustrate the lay of the land. My memories of the golf course on which I plodded behind my Dad so many years ago ("Willow Springs," Wilson, NC), always contaminated my "theater of the mind," with visions of narrow, tree-lined fairways, etc. Clearly, the Hawaiian golf course (which is still there) built for the Kahuku Sugar Mill bigwigs was nothing like that at all.
View attachment 705510
In all probability, Bostrom simply landed in the open area to the east, out closer to the water. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this photograph as it went a long way toward explaining--to my relief--that the golf course story was NOT a myth.
By way of shameless self-promotion, the "full" story of the B-17/B-24 flights into Hickam and their background is in a book that I wrote (with co-authors)... They're Killing My Boys: The History of Hickam Field and the Attacks of 7 December 1941.
Mike Wenger
Popeye, re: 40-2059 & 40-2070
40-2059 for Zubko is inked onto the SO1, 38thRS, 4Dec41.
40-2070 for Hastings is inked onto the same order.
I wrote something onto the order that 2070 shows up in
Ernest L. Reid's flight logs for Dec41, which makes it
possible to have been present in the roster. Of course,
I can't find that letter from him. Keep after me.
Like you, I have no idea what "Copper" is.
I have always had great difficulty deciphering these dates on the history cards.
Any advice on that score would be appreciated.