Need to identify B-17 from 100th Group.
- Thread starter JerryL17
- Start date
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beaupower32
Tech Sergeant
OK, I did some research for ya, only took about 30 minutes to do it all. All photos from Official Site of the 100th Bomb Group Foundation
This is a B-17G from the 349th bomb squadron of the 100th bomb group. The aircraft # is 23-1723. It was lost on the Merseburg mission of 29 July 1944. Here is some info.
2nd Lt. Jackson F. Phelps
2nd Lt Jackson E.Phelps P KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
2nd Lt Allan S.Rogers CP KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINREY
2nd Lt Paul J.Durborow NAV KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
F/0 Lyle L.Johnson BOM KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
S/Sgt Kenneth S.Goldfarb ROG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
S/Sgt Arthur E.Martin TTE KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Albert G.Wiggs BTG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Marshall H.Duplantis WG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Lewis D.Payne WG WIA 5/8/44 MAGDEBURG (with Lt Streed Crew)
Sgt Donald L.Beasley TG POW 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
MACR#7810 Micro fiche 2857 -- A/C #42 31723 "Sparky"
This crew was shot down by E/A on mission to Merseburg. Crew had arrived at the 100th Group, as above, on 15/6/44 so probably had not flown many combat missions. According to Sgt Payne, the Crew had flown 12 missions prior to 29 July 44. Sgt Payne was not aboard but flew only one more missions as a spare gunner with Lt Streed Crew on 5 August 1944. He was wounded in the leg and did not fly again.
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #723 jettisoned it's bombs with the leader of the squadron before the target. The leader was hit by flak and fell out of the formation which broke apart and never reformed. All A/C of the squadron straggled and all except the leader were lost, thought to be from enemy fighters which attacked at1020 - 1040 hours near 5102N and 1140E"
A German report indicates this A/C was shot down at 1043 hours near Bad Koesen, same report states all of the dead except Lyle Johnson who is not mentioned were buried in the cemetery at Niedermoelters. Missions flown by this crew from Ray Bowdens Book "Plane Names and Bloody Noses" and 100th BG database: Crew flew in following a/c Sparky, Mud In Yer Eye, Sassy Lassie, Lady Luck, TIN LIZZY:
# DATE TARGET A/C# A/C NAME COMMENT
1 7/6/1944 FLEURY/CREPEUIL 37972 TIN LIZZY XR-F
2 7/13/19 MUNICH (JET ENGINES) 97834 MUD IN YER EYE XR-J
3 7/17/1944 AUXERRE MONTGOURNOY 31986 ONCE IN A WHILE XR-N
4 7/18/1944 KIEL HEMMINGSTADT 102416 LADY LUCK XR-H
5 7/19/1944 SCHWEINFURT DUREN 31723 SPARKY XR-R
6 7/20/1944 MERSEBURG 37572 SASSY LASSIE XR-S
7 7/21/1944 REGENSBURG 102416 LADY LUCK XR-H
8 7/24/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT) 31723 SPARKY XR-R
9 7/25/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT) 31723 SPARKY XR-R
7/28/1944 MERSEBURG (ABORT MISSION) 31723 SPARKY XR-R OXYGEN PROBLEMS
10 7/29/1944 MERSEBURG 31723 SPARKY XR-R (SHOT DOWN)
Pictures
1. 23 1723 XR-R 349th "SPARKY"
2. "SPARKY" A/C #23-1723
3. Aircraft 231723, "SPARKY," Lost on the Merseburg mission of 29 July 1944.
4. Robert Patrick standing outside his right waist gun position. Plane is "SPARKY."
Notice "Vera Ann" painted on the side of the ship. This was done by Hank Dibbern at
the request of Robert Patrick.
5. B. G. Woodward, crew chief on "SPARKY"
6. SPARKY" crew on ramp at Thorpe Abbotts.
This is a B-17G from the 349th bomb squadron of the 100th bomb group. The aircraft # is 23-1723. It was lost on the Merseburg mission of 29 July 1944. Here is some info.
2nd Lt. Jackson F. Phelps
2nd Lt Jackson E.Phelps P KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
2nd Lt Allan S.Rogers CP KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINREY
2nd Lt Paul J.Durborow NAV KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
F/0 Lyle L.Johnson BOM KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
S/Sgt Kenneth S.Goldfarb ROG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
S/Sgt Arthur E.Martin TTE KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Albert G.Wiggs BTG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Marshall H.Duplantis WG KIA 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
Sgt Lewis D.Payne WG WIA 5/8/44 MAGDEBURG (with Lt Streed Crew)
Sgt Donald L.Beasley TG POW 29/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY
MACR#7810 Micro fiche 2857 -- A/C #42 31723 "Sparky"
This crew was shot down by E/A on mission to Merseburg. Crew had arrived at the 100th Group, as above, on 15/6/44 so probably had not flown many combat missions. According to Sgt Payne, the Crew had flown 12 missions prior to 29 July 44. Sgt Payne was not aboard but flew only one more missions as a spare gunner with Lt Streed Crew on 5 August 1944. He was wounded in the leg and did not fly again.
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #723 jettisoned it's bombs with the leader of the squadron before the target. The leader was hit by flak and fell out of the formation which broke apart and never reformed. All A/C of the squadron straggled and all except the leader were lost, thought to be from enemy fighters which attacked at1020 - 1040 hours near 5102N and 1140E"
A German report indicates this A/C was shot down at 1043 hours near Bad Koesen, same report states all of the dead except Lyle Johnson who is not mentioned were buried in the cemetery at Niedermoelters. Missions flown by this crew from Ray Bowdens Book "Plane Names and Bloody Noses" and 100th BG database: Crew flew in following a/c Sparky, Mud In Yer Eye, Sassy Lassie, Lady Luck, TIN LIZZY:
# DATE TARGET A/C# A/C NAME COMMENT
1 7/6/1944 FLEURY/CREPEUIL 37972 TIN LIZZY XR-F
2 7/13/19 MUNICH (JET ENGINES) 97834 MUD IN YER EYE XR-J
3 7/17/1944 AUXERRE MONTGOURNOY 31986 ONCE IN A WHILE XR-N
4 7/18/1944 KIEL HEMMINGSTADT 102416 LADY LUCK XR-H
5 7/19/1944 SCHWEINFURT DUREN 31723 SPARKY XR-R
6 7/20/1944 MERSEBURG 37572 SASSY LASSIE XR-S
7 7/21/1944 REGENSBURG 102416 LADY LUCK XR-H
8 7/24/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT) 31723 SPARKY XR-R
9 7/25/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT) 31723 SPARKY XR-R
7/28/1944 MERSEBURG (ABORT MISSION) 31723 SPARKY XR-R OXYGEN PROBLEMS
10 7/29/1944 MERSEBURG 31723 SPARKY XR-R (SHOT DOWN)
Pictures
1. 23 1723 XR-R 349th "SPARKY"
2. "SPARKY" A/C #23-1723
3. Aircraft 231723, "SPARKY," Lost on the Merseburg mission of 29 July 1944.
4. Robert Patrick standing outside his right waist gun position. Plane is "SPARKY."
Notice "Vera Ann" painted on the side of the ship. This was done by Hank Dibbern at
the request of Robert Patrick.
5. B. G. Woodward, crew chief on "SPARKY"
6. SPARKY" crew on ramp at Thorpe Abbotts.
seesul
Senior Master Sergeant
good work beau!
beaupower32
Tech Sergeant
Thanks guys!
My uncle S/SGT H.R. Kemble was the tail gunner on that aircraft. It was damaged on a raid in March of 1944, I believe Mar. 16. Radio Operator Sherwyn "Sparky" Meyers was KIA on that mission, and the aircraft was named after him. My uncle flew his last mission on June 6, 1944. The pilot was Clement Cowan and he was wounded in the face by the same 20mm burst from the FW-190.
Our grandfather, Donald Beasley, was the tail gunner on Sparky when it went down July 29, 1944. A POW who survived the 'death march' out of stalag luft iv. he lived a long peaceful life after the war.
God bless your grandfather. My uncle was the FO on that flight that went down July 29, 1944. Would appreciate any additional stories or information your grandfather may have shared.
Unfortunately he did not share his experiences or stories, he 'did his job' and was happy to be home. What little I know is from searching the internet.
