42-107220

Swanee Pride

A B-17G-35-DL, built by Douglas in Long Beach, California on 27 March, 1944, Swanee Pride was assigned to the 708th Squadron on 22 April.  She became one of the 447th's Century Ships, completing more than 100 combat missions.  The source of the name remains unknown, but is believed to be attributable to the Gene Gibson crew.
 

Lt. Eugene Gibson's crew with Swanee Pride
(Photo from Shields' History: 447th Bomb Group)

Combat Missions:

One of the 447th's "Century Ships," Swanee Pride is credited with 104 combat missions.  From available records, we've identified 101, shown below.

No. DATE TARGET PILOT COMMENTS 
1 05/07/44 BERLIN Hendel  
2 05/08/44 BERLIN Hendel  
3 05/13/44 OSNABRUCK Leach  
4 05/22/44 KIEL Hendel  
5 05/23/44 TROYES Hendel  
6 05/24/44 BERLIN Hendel  
7 05/27/44 KARLSRUHE DeHass  
8 05/31/44 HAMM M/Y Leitch  
9 06/03/44 AUDRESSELLES Hendel  
10 06/06/44 D-DAY TARGETS NORTH FRANCE Leitch  
11 06/06/44 D-DAY TARGETS NORTH FRANCE Leitch  
12 06/07/44 NANTES Weigerink  
13 06/11/44 LE TOUQUET MERLIMENT PLACE Gibson  
14 06/12/44 CONCHES A/F Wiegerink  
15 06/14/44 FLORENNES/JUZAINE A/F Bowers  
16 06/15/44 MISBURG Thorpe  
17 06/18/44 MISBURG Gibson  
18 06/21/44 BERLIN Gibson  
19 06/23/44 ST. QUENTIN Gibson  
20 06/24/44 WESERMUNDE Gage  
21 06/25/44 AREA #1 "ZEBRA" Gibson  
22 07/06/44 BERCK A/F Gibson  
23 07/07/44 MERSEBURG Gibson  
24 07/08/44 ST. ANDRE DE L'EURE / NOGENT M/Y Gibson  
25 07/12/44 MUNICH Gibson  
26 07/13/44 MUNICH Gibson  
27 07/16/44 STUTTGART Gibson  
28 07/18/44 CUXHAVEN Zalewski  
29 07/19/44 EBELSBACH Thorpe  
30 07/20/44 MERSEBURG Bowers  
31 07/24/44 ST. LO AREA Thorpe  
32 08/01/44 AREAS 10 & 14 Gibson  
33 08/02/44 ST. DENNIS Gibson  
34 08/07/44 ANIZY LE CHATEAU Gibson  
35 08/08/44 BRETTEVILLE Zalewski  
36 08/09/44 AACHEN Zalewski  
37 08/11/44 BELFORT M/V Farson  
38 08/13/44 SEINE R. AREA Carter  
39 08/14/44 MANNHEIM Carter  
40 08/15/44 HANDORF A/F Noonan  
41 08/16/44 ROSITZ J. Adams  
42 08/18/44 ST. DIZIER A/F Westrope  
43 08/24/44 BRUX Quintin  
44 08/25/44 RECHLIN Quintin  
45 08/26/44 BREST Weddle  
46 08/28/44 BERLIN Quintin  
47 08/31/44 BREMEN Noonan  
48 09/08/44 MAINZ McKinley  
49 09/09/44 GRASSY Westrope  
50 09/10/44 GIEBELSTADT Zalewski  
51 09/11/44 FULDA Thomas  
52 09/12/44 BOHLEN Adams  
53 09/13/44 STUTTGART Noonan  
54 09/17/44 ARNHEIM Noonan  
55 09/19/44 KOBLENZ Noonan  
56 09/22/44 KASSEL Noonan  
57 10/06/44 BERLIN Moore  
58 10/14/44 COLOGNE Tietjen Landing Accident (official report on order) 
59 10/19/44 MANNHEIM Folts  
60 10/22/44 MUNSTER McDermott  
61 10/25/44 HARBURG Folts  
62 10/26/44 HANOVER Folts  
63 10/30/44 MERSEBURG Folts  
64 11/02/44 MERSEBURG Folts  
65 11/06/44 NEUMUNSTER Folts  
66 11/09/44 SAARBRUCKEN Hayes  
67 11/16/44 DUREN AREA Folts  
68 11/21/44 KOBLENZ Folts  
69 11/25/44 MERSEBURG Bates  
70 11/30/44 LUTZKENDORF Folts  
71 12/04/44 MAINZ Folts  
72 12/11/44 KOBLENZ GIESSEN Bates  
73 12/15/44 HANOVER Jessen  
74 12/18/44 MAINZ Lund  
75 01/03/45 KOBLENZ Folts  
76 01/06/45 WORMS Larrance  
77 01/14/45 MADGEBURG Hayes  
78 01/15/45 AUGSBURG Jacques  
79 01/20/45 HEILBRONN Larrance  
80 01/21/45 MANNHEIM Coleman  
81 02/03/45 BERLIN Jacques  
82 02/14/45 WESEL Jacques  
83 02/15/45 COTTBUS Jacques  
84 02/18/45 WESEL Jacques  
85 02/20/45 NURNBERG Jacques  
  02/21/45  TRAINING FLIGHT Jacques Hard landing -- right gear collapse
Accident Report on file
86 03/11/45 HAMBURG Jacques  
87 03/12/45 MARBURG Jacques  
88 03/13/45 HANOVER Jacques  
89 03/18/45 BERLIN Jacques  
90 03/19/45 ZWICKAU Maxwell  
91 03/20/45 HAMBURG Schreiner  
92 03/31/45 BRANDENBURG Montague  
93 04/03/45 KIEL Bricker  
94 04/08/45 PLAUEN Radus  
95 04/11/45 INGLOSTADT Jacques  
96 04/14/45 ROYAN AREA Jacques  
97 04/16/45 ROYAN AREA Jacques  
98 04/17/45 DRESDEN Jacques  
99 04/19/45 DRESDEN Scanlon  
100 04/20/45 NEURUPPIN Jacques  
104 04/21/45 INGLOSTADT Broughton  

From 21 Feb 45 landing

After V-E Day, Swanee Pride was seriously damaged during a flight on 24 May 1945, was designated beyond repair and salvaged in England.