B-17G-1-BO 42-31095
708th SQ — F
Another of the Harvard planes, ferried to Rattlesden in late November 1943.
On board were:
| Major Frank M. Newman |
Sq Commander |
| 2nd Lt Charles S. Hopla |
Pilot |
| 1st Lt Richard W. Fiero |
Navigator |
| 1st Lt Charles S. Logan Jr. |
Bombardier |
| 2nd Lt Frederick A. Mason |
Engineering O. |
| 2nd Lt Lester R. Hofwolt |
Bombsight O. |
| T/Sgt Edward V. Reed |
Sq Inspector |
| T/Sgt Ignacio W. Garcia |
Sq Comm Chief |
| Sgt Ralph N. Allen |
Armament Chief |
| Sgt Edward (NMI) Stein |
Gp Opns Clerk |
Ground Pounder flew with the 708th Squadron from the beginning of operations in December 1943. She was badly damaged on the April 29 1944 raid to Berlin, but returned to base and was repaired (Operational Charts in the Pictorial History show the aircraft lost on that date). She continued to fly until October 2, 1944 when Lt. Zalewski made a forced landing on the continent, behind Allied lines near Brussels. The entire Zalewski crew returned to Rattlesden a few days later.
Flight listings for 42-31095
These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.
| 447th Mission (Date) |
Target |
Pilot |
Notes |
| #4 (04-Jan-44) |
Kiel, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #7 (11-Jan-44) |
Brunswick, Germany |
Reed, A. S. |
Ret’d, hot attack |
| #11 (29-Jan-44) |
Frankfurt, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
ABORT #1 Eng Oil |
| #12 (30-Jan-44) |
Brunswick, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #13 (03-Feb-44) |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #14 (04-Feb-44) |
Frankfurt, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #20 (20-Feb-44) |
Rostock, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #21 (21-Feb-44) |
Diepholz, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #26 (03-Mar-44) |
Berlin, Germany |
Widstrom, R. G. |
|
| #28 (06-Mar-44) |
Berlin, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #31 (11-Mar-44) |
Munster, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #32 (13-Mar-44) |
Bois de la Justice, France |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #33 (15-Mar-44) |
Brunswick, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #35 (18-Mar-44) |
Munich, Germany |
Hitchcock, W. H. |
|
| #43 (08-Apr-44) |
Rheine, Germany |
Pauling, H. S. |
|
| #44 (09-Apr-44) |
Warnemunde, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #45 (10-Apr-44) |
Diest Schaffen, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #48 (18-Apr-44) |
Oranienburg / Rathnow, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #49 (19-Apr-44) |
Lippstadt / Werl, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #50 (20-Apr-44) |
Cherbourg / Bois de la Justice, France |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #51 (22-Apr-44) |
Hamm, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #53 (26-Apr-44) |
Brunswick, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #57 (30-Apr-44) |
Clermont Ferrand, France |
Hendel, J. N. |
|
| #58 (01-May-44) |
Marquenville, France |
Rozmus, H. A. |
|
| #59 (07-May-44) |
Berlin, Germany |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #61 (09-May-44) |
Laon / Athies, France |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #62 (11-May-44) |
Malines, Belgium |
Hopla, C. S. |
|
| #68 (23-May-44) |
Troyes, France |
Peters, D. K. |
|
| #70 (25-May-44) |
Brussels, Belgium |
De Haas, J. |
|
| #78 (03-Jun-44) |
Pas de Calais / Audresselles, France |
Wiegerink, L. T. |
|
| #81 (05-Jun-44) |
Le Touquet, France |
Wiegerink, L. T. |
|
| #82 (06-Jun-44) |
Caen, France |
Wiegerink, L. T. |
|
| #85 (07-Jun-44) |
Nantes, France |
Golden, M. L. |
Landed at Gravesden |
| #89 (14-Jun-44) |
Florennes, Belgium |
Wiegerink, L. T. |
Spare/filled in |
| #98 (24-Jun-44) |
Blanc Pignon Ferme, France |
Douglas, W. B. |
AB Spare |
| #105 (08-Jul-44) |
St.Andre De L’eure / Nogent, France |
Quintin, O. J. |
slated 185 |
| #106 (11-Jul-44) |
Munich, Germany |
Brown, T. K. |
|
| #113 (20-Jul-44) |
Merseburg, Germany |
Lakeman, L. F. |
AB Spare |
| #114 (21-Jul-44) |
Regensburg, Germany |
Thorpe, T. G. |
AB Spare |
| #115 (24-Jul-44) |
St. Lo, France |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #116 (25-Jul-44) |
St. Lo, France |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #117 (27-Jul-44) |
Ostend, Belgium |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #120 (04-Aug-44) |
Arras – Ostend, Belgium |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #122 (07-Aug-44) |
Anizy le Chateau, France |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #123 (08-Aug-44) |
Bretteville sur Laise, France |
Noonan, J. F. |
|
| #126 (13-Aug-44) |
Seine river area, France |
Westrope, R. A. |
|
| #127 (14-Aug-44) |
Mannheim, Germany |
Adams, J. M. |
|
| #128 (15-Aug-44) |
Handorf, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #131 (24-Aug-44) |
Brux, Czechoslovakia |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #132 (25-Aug-44) |
Rechlin, Germany |
Hawkins, R. D. |
|
| #133 (26-Aug-44) |
Brest, France |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #135 (30-Aug-44) |
Bremen, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #137 (03-Sep-44) |
Brest, France |
Thorpe, T. G. |
|
| #138 (05-Sep-44) |
Brest, France |
Thorpe, T. G. |
|
| #139 (08-Sep-44) |
Mainz, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #142 (11-Sep-44) |
Fulda, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #143 (12-Sep-44) |
Bohlen & Fulda, Germany |
Hysong, J. W. |
|
| #145 (17-Sep-44) |
Arnheim, Holland |
Hysong, J. W. |
ABORT Oil leak |
| #146 (19-Sep-44) |
Koblenz, Germany |
Thomas, M. G. |
|
| #147 (22-Sep-44) |
Kassel, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #148 (25-Sep-44) |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
|
| #149 (26-Sep-44) |
Bremen, Germany |
Hawkins, R. D. |
|
| #150 (27-Sep-44) |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Thomas, M. G. |
|
| #152 (02-Oct-44) |
Kassel, Germany |
Zalewski, T. |
AIRCRAFT LOST; crew bailed out OK |
Members of the Zalewski crew that were on board 42-31095 for the mission October 2, 1944.
| Lt. T Zalewski |
Pilot |
| Lt. WL Archer |
Co-Pilot |
| Lt. AH Muth |
Navigator |
| Lt. RM McCollum |
Bombardier |
| S/Sgt RW Gilbert |
Top Turret Gunner |
| S/Sgt EW Brooks |
Radio Operator |
| S/Sgt RJ Wilting |
Ball Turret Gunner |
| Sgt G Rozema |
Waist Gunner |
| Sgt F Montalbano |
Tail Gunner |
3. A/C #095, pilot Lt. Zalewski, suffered the loss of one engine and damage to a second engine over the target due to flak. He trailed the formation to the French Border where he lost another engine. The last message received was that operating on one engine and running out of fuel, he had successfully bailed out his crew 19 miles SE of Brussels and was preparing to bail out himself.
4. This one aircraft, #095 was lost due to enemy action
Ground Pounder was salvaged for parts, where she landed, during April, 1945
Some photos/information provided by:
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database
