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Lost crew from 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd bomb group


BILL THE PATCH
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BILL THE PATCH

I picked up this great photo of a crew from the 92nd bomb group, 8th A/F, is there a way to identity of the crew and the name of plane based on what's showing in the picture? I've read some history of the group and there was one MOH awarded in the group. post-11207-0-59413400-1495904582_thumb.jpg

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BILL THE PATCH

I was on that site already, couldn't find much. Ill probably have to contact them. Thanks for your help 38.

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

 

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Glidertrooper

Fantastic photo! Shame the B17 doesn't have any nose art to identify it by, other than those mission bombs. Love that they have their crew mascot dog in the picture though :)

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Do you have a good scanner? Might be able to scan it at a high enough DPI to get a look at a name tag on one of the A2s as a start. I have my share of those unidentified crew photos so I feel your pain :) Once in a while you can figure out a place to start with a good scanner and a lucky break on info not easily seen on the original photo.

 

As an example, can you scan it tight enough to see the serial number on that 17? I can see the data block in your image, so it might be worth a shot. They would give you the squadron and a serial number would help you track the history of the 17 and who flew it. You have the date of the photo already as April 23, 1944 so the window is narrowed for you.

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If you have a good magnifying glass, see if you can make out the writing in the Data block I outlined. If you can get that serial number we'd be off and running to ID the plane and the crews that flew it

post-68384-0-45325700-1495924417_thumb.jpg

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BILL THE PATCH

Just seen your idea, I have a jewlers loop maybe I can see something. Thanks again 38

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

 

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BILL THE PATCH

Just tried it, no good. I don't have a scanner either. May e I can locate one from some people I know.

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

 

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Just tried it, no good. I don't have a scanner either. May e I can locate one from some people I know.

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

Now it's bothering me. I'm afraid we're going to have to figure out who these guys are :)

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Blacksmith

Sorry, I don't know much about AAC stuff. Do the numbers on the propeller mean anything? How about the name tag on the guy back / left? Almost looks visible.

 

As far as a scanner goes, if a jeweler's loop doesn't do it, a scanner won't.

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i would conact the association and see if they have a data base of crew pictures or possibly can run it down by the number and letter sequence on the bottom of the photo.

 

Years ago I had good luck contacting the 390th BG association and museum.They had a lot of information available and even would do specific mission seaches for a feeI.I was able to run a couple guys names and they confirmed them as pilots and listed the aircraft they were known to fly on/were on for each mission.THis was all pre internet as well.They even had many of the planes photos available but welcomed any other additions

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The gods are shining on us. Lt. James King Crew with the B17G Lil Brat B17G 42-31921 Coded PY-Q for the 407th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd BG. Interestingly enough the crew was interned in Switzerland on April 24th, so the picture was taken the day before they went down. Funny how that works :)

 

Working on the rest of the names and any more details I can find.

 

 

 

post-68384-0-35570000-1495943233_thumb.jpg

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I may have spoken too soon. This site in German seems to indicate the entire crew was killed :(

 

http://warbird.ch/wb-events/unkontrolliert-abgestuerzt/

 

The crew:

 

Pilot: James E. King, 2nd Lt,
Copilot: Myron P. Snapp, 2nd Lt,
Navigator: Ned E. Lewis, F/O,
Bombardier: Martin J. Thomas, 2st Lt,
Engineer: Raymond H. Hardy, Sgt,
Radio: Urvin J. Laperriere, S/Sgt,
Ball Turret: William H. Lowery, Sgt,
Right Waist: Russel Harris, Sgt,
Left Waist: Felix J. Scefonas, Sgt,
Tail Gunner: Pasquale A. Calabrese, Sgt

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This kinda sucks thinking that was the last photo of these guys :( Guess this was appropriate for Memorial Day weekend. These guys are gonna be stuck in my soul now.

 

Some more bits regarding the 17 and the crew

 

"Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-Q] Podington 5/2/44; Missing in Action Erding 24/4/44 with Jim King, Co-pilot: Myron Snapp, Navigator: Ned Lewis, Bombardier: Martin Thomas, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ray Hardy, Radio Operator: Urvin Lapierre, Ball turret gunner: Bill Lowery, Waist gunner: Felix Scefonas, Waist gunner: Russ Harris,Tail gunner: Pasquale Calabrese (10 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KOd #3 and #4, headed for Dubendorf, but crashed Baltenswil, near Munich and scrapped; Missing Air Crew Report 4148. LI’L BRAT."

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More on these guys.

 

http://www.jmisys.com/WWII/lilbrat.html

 

The Crew of "Lil Brat"
B-17 42-31921

"Lil Brat" was on the left wing of "Baby" during the mission of April 24, 1944. The pilot was 2nd Lt. James E. King. See the reference to Lil Brat in the Mission Log as "King", and in Woody's poem as the plane that crashed near Baltenswil.

Copilot - 2nd Lt. Myron P. Snapp - back row, 3rd from left
Left waist - Sgt. Felix J. Scefonas - front row, 1st from left

 

Info on the mission put together by a relative of the crew of another 17 of the 92nd that made for Switzerland. Lil Brat was with her for a while. Lots of details

 

http://jmisys.com/WWII/page_one.html

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Blacksmith

Memorial Day indeed. Almost as if these young men intentionally found their way back to us. Sobering reminder of the price paid.

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Don't know if you want to know all this stuff, but these guys are in my blood now and I gotta know more.

 

This is info on Myron Snapp the Co-pilot from Ancestry

 

Birth:

Dec. 31, 1921
Chicago
Cook County
Illinois, USA Death: Apr. 24, 1944, Germany trans.gif
2nd Lt. U.S. Army Air Corps, {0-812681}, World War II-Lt. Snapp was killed in action 4-24-1944 during WWII with the 92nd Bomb Group.

He is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Myron P. Snapp, Sr. of 1516 East Marquette Road, Chicago, Illinois, and he had one year of college, and working in a Factory when he enlisted with the Air Corps {RA16081982} in Chicago on 9-17-1942.

Awards: Purple Heart Medal, European Campaign Medal with Two Battle Stars, Crew Wings, WWII Victory Medal. Burial:
Evergreen Cemetery and Mausoleum
Evergreen Park
Cook County
Illinois, USA
Plot: Flat Bronze Marker

 

 

Anyone near this cemetery who wants to stop in and let Lt. Snapp know we're thinking about him? At least he got to come home :(

post-68384-0-72558300-1495946167_thumb.jpg

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Hope you folks don't mind me doing this. Just seems like the thing to do to try and find out a bit about these guys. I'm betting the pilot, Lt. James E. King is on the far left back row next to his co-pilot Snapp.

 

Birth:

Jul. 31, 1919 Death: Apr. 24, 1944 trans.gif Burial:
Memphis National Cemetery
Memphis
Shelby County
Tennessee, USA
Plot: H, 5829

 

post-68384-0-65584300-1495946591_thumb.jpg

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