SOUR 

1107 Squadron insignia


CREW 03
SOUR MASH
B-17F
 
 

Second Lieutenant J R McMURRAY

CREW STATION
 		NAME
 		RANK
 		Experience
Missions
 		CLAIMED KILLS
CONFIRMED
 		Notes
PILOT

McMurray, J.R.
4
CO-PILOT

 		Fair, David
4
 
BOMBARDIER
 Ulm, Lawrence
2
  
NAVIGATOR

 		Wolf, David
2
 1
 		 
Engineer

 		Beauchamp, Hugh

4
 4
 		   
RADIO OPERATOR

 Young, Bruce
2
 
Ball Turret Gunner

 Wagner, Will
  
 		4
 1
 		   
Left Waist Gunner

 Drilling, Abe
4
 
Right Waist Gunner

 Gehringer, Tony
3
 
Tail Gunner

 Tatum, Lee
4
 5


MISSION SUMMARY
MISSION
#
 		DATE
 		TARGET AREA AND TARGET
 		BOMB RUN
 		ENEMY AC CLAIMS
D/P/K
 		CREW CASULTIES
L/S/K
 		NOTES
38/1 May 14, 1943 Kiel U-Boat yard 20 6/2/3 1/0/0 New crew May, 1943. tail guns inoperable, port wing aileron inoperable, bombardier compartment heat out,  damage to control cable, wing root damage to port wing, minor damage to #1 engine,  numerous holes in wings, tail, and fuselage. 
39/2 May 15, 1943 Heligoland Island airfield 0 2/3/2 2/2/2 Pilot dropped bombs on secondary target after primary target (Wilhelmshaven) obscured by clouds and bombardier KIA.
40/3 May 17, 1943 Lorient U-Boat yard 0 2/2/4 1/0/0 Bomb run was off target.
41/4 May 19, 1943 Kiel           ship yard 0 1/1/5 0/0/10 Shotdown by direct flak hit just before bomb run

CREW NOTES
Mission
 		 PILOT
 		CO-PILOT
 		BOMBARDIER
 		NAVIGATOR
 		ENGINEER
 		RADIO OPERATOR BALL TURRET GUNNER
 		LEFT WAIST GUNNER
 		RIGHT WAIST GUNNER
 		TAIL GUNNER
38/1 McMurray Fair Wainwright Drake
LW		 Beauchamp
 Tannehill Wagner Drilling Westley
 Tatum
39/2 light wound  serious wound invalided home KIA KIA light wound X 2 serious wound invalided home
40/3 Ulm
light wound		 Wolf Young Gehringer
41/4 KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA
GREEN: New crew man. RED: KIA. PURPLE: Wounded. BLUE: Frostbite. ORANGE: POW. PINK: MIA. LT GREEN: Temporary replacement.
AFTER ACTION REPORT
MISSION
#
 		DATE
 		TARGET AREA AND TARGET
 		MISSION DESCRIPTION
38/1 May 14, 1943 Kiel U-Boat yard

A wave of 3 single engined fighters attacked us just as we sighted land on our way out to the target. Their pass knocked out our tail guns. It was also during this attack that we saw the Eagar Beavers explode off our port wing.

As we entered our bomb run, another wave of 3 fighters hit us. But Lt. Wainwright calmly ignored all this and put our bomb load directly on target.

Turning away from the target after dropping our bomb, 3 waves of German fighters hit us – fifteen fighters in all – over the North Sea. These fighters pressed home their attacks viciously; some of them attacking repeatedly. The nose of the B-17 was especially hard hit, as the navigator was wounded and the bombardier’s compartment heat was lost. Our gunners performed well, shooting down at least 3 fighters for sure and damaging a number of others. It was our defensive fire that finally drove them away.

When the last of the enemy fighters broke off, the bombardier informed me that he was losing feeling in his feet. I dove out of the formation and leveled off at about 10,00 ft. to keep my bombardier from suffering frostbite. I did this without consulting Major Ceotti, and I expect to hear from him soon over this matter. I arrived over Archbury before the rest of the 1107th and landed without incident.
40/3 May 17, 1943 Lorient U-Boat yard

Fighter opposition was minimal in route to the target, flak was moderate over the target, and visibility over the target was excellent. Unfortunately our bomb run was off and we missed the target.

Fighter opposition stiffened as we turned for home, and their persistent attacks damaged our port wing landing gear and holed out a fuel tank in that wing.

Over the channel we left formation and descended to 10, 000 ft. after the tail gunner informed me that his suit heater was malfunctioning.

As we neared the English coast, we shut down the #2 engine when it ran out of fuel. Landing was dicey on only 3 engines and with damaged landing gear. But we made it down safely, with lots of holes in our B-17 but with no real significant damage and thankfully with no casualties.

2nd Lt. J.R. McMurray

pilot – B-17F Sour Mash

1107th Squadron
41/4 May 19, 1943 Kiel ship yard

Sgt. Marty Evans, tail gunner in the lead bomber of the 1107th Bomb Squadron, was horrified to see B-17F Sour Mash explode in mid-air just as the squadron began its bomb run over Kiel’s ship yard, evidently the victim of a direct flak hit. In Evan’s opinion, none of the crewmen survived the explosion. Sour Mash  was piloted by 2nd Lt. J.R. McMurray, and the crew was on their 4th mission.

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