John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

I have found this reference to John Russell by one of his 97 Squadron crew members.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/s...a7983237.shtml

[alieneyes1]

David,

Sadly, that link is dead. Here's all you'd ever want to know about 2Lt John Edmund Russell, DFC. Keep scrolling.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...edmund-russell

Dave

[Alex Smart]

Just curious, The DFC was an RAF award would that auto get him the American DFC as well when he transferred to the USAAF ?

[f for freddy]

Hi All
Just found this thread via a friend, we are hoping to place a memorial for the crew
and civilians who perished in the tragic crash. That John Edmund Russell (Jack) also died in.
If anyone has any extra info of any of the victims, details would be much appreciated.

The crew list, as far as we know was:
1/ Pilot Art Reynolds,
2/ Co-pilot: John Russell,
3/Navigator: Sheldon McCormick,
4/ Bombardier: Albert Rolnick,
5/ Amos Behl Flight engineer/top gunner
6/ , Bob Holmes Radio Operator
7/ John May RCM Operator
8/, Leslie Boling Ball turret gunner
9/, Bill Landers, Waist gunner
10/ Laurie Evans, Waist gunner
11/, Andy Allison, Tail gunner
plus two passenger mechanics:
12/ Herman Kolousek, radio mechanic
13/ Bob Levi, radio mechanic

Thanks in advance for any help.

Steve A

[edwest2]

From joebaugher.com:


5793 (MSN 17-6089) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jan43. Long Beach Field, CA 30Jan43. Smoky Hill Field, Salina, KS 11Feb43. 332nd Bomb Squadron [XM*M], 94th Bomb Group, Bassingbourn (Station 121), Cambridgeshire 4Mar43. 325th Bomb Squadron [NV*Y/M], 92nd Bomb Group, Alconbury (Station 102), Huntingdonshire 20Apr43. RAF Defford, Worcestershire May43. Installation of H2S equipment by Telecommunication Research Establishment (TRE) at Great Malvern. First Eighth Air Force B-17 Pathfinder (PFF). 813th Bomb Squadron [PC*M], 482nd Bomb Group, Alconbury (Station 102), Huntingdonshire 5Aug43. Crashed at Brome during a forced landing at Eye (Station 134), Suffolk 10Nov43 (13 crew KIS: three civilians died: one civilian injured whose horse was also killed). Earlier that day the crew flew the B-17 from Alconbury to Thorpe Abbotts (Station 139), Norfolk to lead the 100th Bomb Group on a PFF mission – the mission was scrubbed. Returning later to Alconbury, the B-17 began its takeoff. Somewhere beyond the point of no return, the bomber’s number one engine caught fire. With the aircraft struggling to stay airborne as flames seared through essential control cables but too low for parachutes, the best chance was to land on the runway under construction at Eye. This lay almost directly ahead, and was closer than trying to turn back to Thorpe Abbotts. Eye airfield was still under construction and four workmen were ditching alongside Potash Lane. One of them stood at the roadside with a horse and tumbrel, while the others laboured i n the ditch itself. Less than fifty feet above and diving directly at the workmen was the bomber. Before the crash the workmen were fleeing for their lives, but they were overwhelmed. The bomber crashed directly on to the road gang, its propellers knifed cleanly through the rearing, terror stricken horse, chopping the animal in half. Three workmen died instantly. One of the workmen almost escaped, leaping for safety, only to be scythed down by the bomber’s wingtip; he died from his injuries two days later. Salvaged. Named STINKY – code name of the H2S equipment

[edwest2]

Albert Lewis Rolnick


https://www.americanairmuseum.com/ar...-lewis-rolnick

[f for freddy]

Cheers edwest2

Sorry for the late reply on the above !

The problem with these forums and keeping up with the threads !

The memorial project is coming along nicely and we have a Go Fund Me page, set up for funding the project.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/brome-b17...term=undefined

We have had some luck with the finding details of the events surrounding the crash. We have obtained the Tower Reports from RAF Alconbury. These confirm, they had flown to Thorpe Abbotts the night before. To lead the mission the following morning. However the mission was scrubbed, hence their attempt to return to Alconbury !

Also, although we cannot a 100% confirm this, it’s thought it was more than likely a fire in the cockpit area, that caused such a fast and dramatic crash, after take off !

All the best

Steve A