B17 loss 20th November 1942

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

According to P38 at War page 48.

On the 20th November 1942 20 or so Ju87s and Ju88s Bombed maison Blanche.
The entire British PRU unit was destroyed , four Spitfires, as were a Beaufighter, Two P38s and a B17.

Any information with regard to these losses is most welcome, especialy the B17.

Many thanks

Alex

[shooshoobaby]

Alex: # 41-24376 97th BG , 341st Sq.
Bombed by LW on Take - Off Maison Blanche 11/20/42
Pilot - Lt. Hughes
Crew - All KIA
Mike

[Laurent Rizzotti]

According to the book 'Pride of Seattle. The Story of the first 300 B-17Fs', 41-24376 was delivered on 20 June 42 and flown overseas by the 92nd BG, later transferred to the 341st BS, 97th BG, and flown to North Africa by Lt Arthur M Hughes and crew. During the evening of 20 November 1942, Hughes was taxiing the aircraft across the field with a full bomb load when German bombers attacked the base. The B-17 was hit by a bomb and blown to pieces. There were no survivors.

The following airmen of 341st BS are buried on Carthage American War Cemetery and listed as killed on this date:
1st Lt Alfred J Cogdill
Staff Sgt Deles T Cooper
Sgt Larry B Hagan
Sgt Alton H Hinson
Note that about 2/3 of US war dead were brought home after the war and so didn't appear on the list available on the AMBC website.

For more details, use the contacts listed there: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/m_53259/tm.htm

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Thank you both for your replies.

Just what I was looking for.

Anyinfo on the other aircraft I mentioned ?


Alex

[arichbourg]

My grand uncle, 1st Lt. James K. Bone, was the co-pilot on that B-17. I have more information if you would like anything in particular.

[Faenor]

Hi all,

that was the 1st fatal loss of US B-17 in MTO? Was there another destroyed B-17 on the grounf in next days of the B-17s ?

Faenor

[arichbourg]

It seems that 41-24376 was lost on 11/20/42 and another one lost also at Maison Blanche on 11/21/42. There is a fair amount of confusion about that though in the evidence I can find. For example, 41-24376 might have been the one that was destroyed on 11/21/42. Hard to say with certainty imo.