World War II Database

1.  David Stubblebine says:
3 Jan 2012 06:24:52 PM

This photo was taken 15 June 43 after "Our Gang" (42-5069) aborted a mission to Le Mans, France and turned back due to failure of the #2 supercharger. The rest of the planes later aborted and returned also.
Crewmembers are (L to R):

1. S/Sgt. Marion J. Spagnola, Ball Turret Gunner of Cincinnati, Ohio.
2. T/Sgt. Jack "Roy" Carlson, Waist Gunner of Rockford, Ill.
2a. Canine Mascot "Windy"
3. S/Sgt. Jacob "Jack" Levine, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of East Nassau, N.Y.
4. 2nd Lt. Fred N. Dibble, Co-Pilot of Bronxville, N.Y.
4a. Canine Mascot "Skippy"
5. 1st Lt. Robert F. Brubaker, Bombardier of Clearwater, Fla.
6. 1st Lt. James M. Smith, Pilot of Austin, Texas
7. Sgt. Bernard Bedrock, Waist Gunner of New York City, N.Y.
8. 1st Lt. W.S. Scovell, Navigator of Portland, Conn.
9. S/Sgt. Edward L. Lawler, Tail Gunner of Camden, Ark.
10. T/Sgt. Arthur L. Smith, Radio Operator of Norwich, Conn.

"Our Gang" was shot down on the first raid to Schweinfurt, Germany 17 Aug 1943. All 10 crewmen survived and were taken prisoner.

2. Jack says:
11 Jun 2013 11:28:47 PM

My uncle was bombardier on "Wheel and Deal", also 91st bomb group, in the 322nd squadron.
Lt. John Temple.

He arrived 23 October near the end of the suspension of deep raids after the Schweinfurt-Regensburg carnage.

Starting in November he flew 5 missions.
1st mission: Recalled due to weather.
2nd mission: Wing could not assemble. Recalled.
3rd mission: Turned back because their plane could not find formation.
4th mission: Oxygen system failure. Turned back. Uncle John got his hands frostbit.
5th mission: Over Germany, on their way to bomb chemical works, with fighter cover late, fighters hit the #3 engine and shot out the batteries. Just before started the IP to the bomb run flak knocked the rest of the electrical system and set the #2 fuel tank on fire. Another flak round went up the the plane behind the cockpit and out the top... without exploding. Forced out of formation they fell prey to radar controlled guns even in clouds and, according to my Uncle John, more fighters. He tried to jettison the bombs but the bomb bay doors weren’t all the way open and they got stuck. He and the top turret gunner Sgt Baker whose hand was smashed crawled down into the bomb bay and literally kicked them out of the airplane. They we're doomed. Set to autopilot "Wheel and Deal" was abandoned. All but Tail Gunner Sgt Roller got out landed safely and we're promptly captured. Roller hand been shot and couldn't get out. "Wheel and Deal" sailed along finally crashing in the Rhine River. It was hauled ashore by the Germans. Later POW debriefing indicated a crew member was told by a German soldier Roller was found in the plane and buried next to the Rhine.
As it turned out, my Uncle John never dropped a bomb in anger.

My father, a carrier pilot,isn't the only one to repeat the old saying, "Flying is endless hours of routine and boredom followed by moments of sheer terror."

3. James P. Smith says:
24 Jul 2015 02:28:33 PM

The pilot is my father. He is sitting in the driver's seat holding his cocker spaniel named "Skipper". This dog flew on all 25 of my dad's missions, only to be run over by a bu, two weeks after they returned home. The
"Lady Frances", seen below the pilot's window, refers to my mother.

4.  Alan Chanter says:
15 Jun 2018 11:04:14 AM

B-17 42-5069 'Our Gang' (Lt William H Wheeler) 401st Squadron, 91st Bomb Group based at Bassingbourn was shot down by a fighter attack, and crashed near St Goar, 25 km south of Koblenz. The crew were on their 21st mission.

Source:
Martin Middlebrook: The Schweinfurt-Ragensburg Mission (Pen and Sword Aviation, 2012)