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There re many versions of the cheek guns if you google for images you can see. The early versions were more side facing but could only be operated by one person, later they were more forward facing mainly for a head on attack.Oh, that's right. The navigator's "office" was up front, under that clear dome. I guess that was used for celestial navigation purposes. I did see where these two weapons were called "cheek guns". Would the navigator operate both of them? He'd sure be stepping lively during air combat.
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John Nazareth Haroian | American Air Museum in Britain
This John Nazareth Haroian ?
View attachment 607580
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30177) nicknamed "Charlene". Printed caption on reverse: '61552 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Charlene". England. 30 August 1943. Standing left to right are: 2nd Lt John N Haroian, Boise, Idaho; 1st Lt Charles Bliss, Los Angeles, California; 2nd Lt Vernon D Duncan, Columbus, Ohio; 2nd Lt Bernard J Quenneville, Hadley, Mass. Kneeling left to right: S/Sgt Robert E Brailey, Woonsocket, RI; T/Sgt Albert N Brown, Great Falls, Mont; S/Sgt Herman B Mays, Terre Haute, Ind; S/Sgt Lawrence H Ruddell, Wausau, Wisc; S/Sgt Edmund W Wilbert, Westlake, Ohio; T/Sgt Henry G Rotell, Riwabik, Minn. US Air force Photo.'
Baugher: Boeing B-17F-90-BO 42-30177 to 803rd BS(P) at Oulton early 1944 as radio countermeasures aircraft, fitted with Mandrel sets and 9 Carpet sets. Presented to Free French general M. P. Koening by General Eisenhower. Named *Bir Hakim* and *Charlene* at verious times. Served postwar with the French High Commissioner at Wahn, Germany.
Later to French Institut Geographique National as F-BGSG. Was used for spares, and remains were scrapped Aug 1973
Page 395 WWII US Air Force Photos - Fold3 2Lt (later Lt Col) John Nazareth Haroian (navigator) was born on sept 11th, 1922 - passed away on feb 3rd, 1993 (15 missions between 17 july and 9 sept 43)
Got it saved. Thanks!you can download a copy from fold 3 or copy the picture from here. Stand on picture right click mouse save
His ship B-17F-90-BO 42-30177 [F-BGSG] - Les Demoiselles de Creil: Les B-17 de l'IGN
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Also it appears that Uncle John's last mission was over Paris on September 9th, right? I wonder if my aunt's description of the bombing of the "entertainment" districts was correct.
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He wasn't in a hospital very long, if he's hurt on Sept 9 over Paris, and then bombing Emden Oct 2. Do the "Abandon" lines indicate aborting mission?Haroian = Haroiad
Missions de guerre de "Charlène":
1- 17 juillet 1943: Amsterdam
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), C.M. Zettick (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
2- 26 juillet 1943: Hanovre
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), C.M. Zettick (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
3- 2 septembre 1943: Bruxelles
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), B. J. Quenneville (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
4- 3 septembre 1943: Melun
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), B. J. Quenneville (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
5- 6 septembre 1943: Stuttgart
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), B. J. Quenneville (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
(abandon: endommagé à un moteur)
6- 7 septembre 1943: Watten
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), B. J. Quenneville (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
Abandon à 8h15 suite à une panne moteurs 1 et 4 (pression huile faible)
7- 9 septembre 1943: Paris
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), B. J. Quenneville (Bombardier), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
8- 27 septembre 1943: Emden
Equipage: H.W. Moore (pilote), D.B. Herbert (copilote), R.L. Garretson (navigateur), J.F. Houston (Bombardier), W.M. Fleener (Radio), M.G. Meyers (mitrailleur dorsal), H.M. Gaines ( Mitrailleur ventral), J.J. Kirby (Latéral droit), L.B. Watson (Latéral Gauche), C. Peak (mitrailleur de queue)
9- 2 octobre 1943: Emden
Equipage: C.C. Bliss (pilote), V.D. Duncaan (copilote), J.N. Haroiad (Navigateur), H.G. Rotell (radio), A.N. Brown (mitrailleur Dorsal), R.E. Bradley (Mitrailleur Ventral), E.W. Wilbert (latéral droit), L.H. Rudell (latéral gauche), H Mays (mitrailleur de queue)
i think he got hurt mission 7, 9 septembre 1943: Paris
Yes. could be an engine trouble or something else mechanical that would danger the crew and plane.He wasn't in a hospital very long, if he's hurt on Sept 9 over Paris, and then bombing Emden Oct 2. Do the "Abandon" lines indicate aborting mission?
If that was the case he would not be flying that soon again. Further more there would be no future in the armed forces for him which he had. And keep in mind that there was plenty of navigators around but skilled electrical engineers i think not. So it would not be very strange that he had a tap on the shoulder and had a proposition he could not refuse.Easy to see how anyone would be frightened in this line of work. Maybe he was hospitalized for "nerves".
Thank you all again, and Happy New Year.
Byron
Thank you for your positive outlook on my uncles fortune in war.If that was the case he would not be flying that soon again. Further more there would be no future in the armed forces for him which he had. And keep in mind that there was plenty of navigators around but skilled electrical engineers i think not. So it would not be very strange that he had a tap on the shoulder and had a proposition he could not refuse.