The Crew
The Crew (incomplete)
| The Crew on August 17th 1943 | |
|---|---|
| 3. Pilot | 2nd Lt Paul A. SOMMERS |
| 4. Copilot | 2nd Lt Herbert W. BROWN |
| 2. Navigator | 2nd Lt Hugh T. McCLATCHEY |
| 1. Bombardier | 2nd Lt Henri S. WALKER |
| 5. Engineer Gunner | T/Sgt Bruno M. GALLERANI |
| 6. Radio Operator | T/Sgt Olin L. WIENEKE |
| 7. Ball Turret Gunner | S/Sgt James H. BROWN |
| 8. Left Waist Gunner | S/Sgt Larry B. STOKES |
| 9. Right Waist Gunner | S/Sgt Parker F. CRABTREE |
| 10. Tail Gunner | S/Sgt Joe SCHREPPEL |
The Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger - 42-5886 (thanks to Mark Erickson)
| The Jolly Roger | |
|---|---|
| Model | B-17F-30-VE |
| Serial Number | 42-5886 |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed-VEGA in Burbank, USA |
| Tailsign Bomber div. | 'G' in square |
| Date of Manufacture | May 1942 |
| Callsign | Unknown |
| Nose Art | Skull and bones |
| Nickname | The Jolly Roger |
| Base | Station 155 - Great Ashfield - East Anglia - UK |
| Air Force Unit | 8th Air Force - 4th Combat Wing |
| Division | 385th Bomb Group - Heavy |
| Squadron | 548th Bomb Squadron |
Robbins crew June 1943
This is the Robbins'-crew that had flown in June 1943, the "Jolly Roger" from the USA to England. On their fourth combat mission on July 28, they flew with the B-17 nicknamed the "Lady Susie II." After returning from the target at Oschersleben (Germany), they collided with 2 other aircrafts and crashed in the North Sea. Waist-gunner Leon C. Ochs and his buddy tailgunner Lloyd D. Atkins were the only ones who survived and were detained at Stalag XVII.
Sketch by Lloyd D. Atkins, Courtesy of Mrs. Brenda Bafus-Williams