HQ CREW 01
PRETTY IN PINK
B-17F/42-30060
CREW CHIEF
BOB "LUCKY" PRIOR
COLONEL Harry Higginbottem
mission SUMMARY
| MISSION # |
DATE |
TARGET
AREA AND TARGET |
BOMB
RUN |
ENEMY
AC CLAIMS |
CREW
CASULTIES |
NOTES |
| 38/1 | May 14, 1943 |
Kiel, U-Boats |
0 |
0/0/0 |
0/1/0 |
Replacement for FLAK SHACK. |
| 39/2 | May 15, 1943 |
Heligoland/Wilhelmshaven |
- |
0/0/0 |
0/1/2 |
918th Lead |
| 40/3 | May 17, 1943 | Lorient, U-Boats | 0 | 0/1/1 | 2/0/0 |  |
COMBAT CREW
| CREW
STATION |
NAME |
RANK |
Experience |
Missions |
ClAimed
Kills CONFIRMED |
Notes |
PILOT  |
Higginbottem, Harry |
 |
21 |
      918th
BG CO. INFIRMARY: Back May 24. |
||
PILOT |
Sugitan, Albert |
 |
|
3 |
temporary replacement for Col Higginbottem.
|
|
| CO-PILOT |
Barclay, Beeby Boyd |
 |
|
0 |
temporary replacement forLt Col Sugitan.
|
|
| CO-PILOT |
Bishop,
Jesse |
 |
5 |
  Replacement
pilot for LT Bassett. |
||
BOMBARDIER |
Lacy,
Willis |
|
3 |
To HQ
Crew 03, Jan 13, 1943. |
||
| BOMBARDIER |
Miller, Paul |
|
5 |
To HQ
Crew 03, Jan 13, 1943. Infirmary. Back March, 15th, 1943. |
||
| BOMBARDIER |
Vogt, George |
|
1 |
|
||
| BOMBARDIER |
Berry,
Sam |
|
2 |
Infirmary. Back Feb. 15th, 1943. |
||
NAVIGATOR |
Lane, Harold |
|
|
1 |
|
|
Engineer |
Arnold,
Howard |
 |
+1 |
19 |
12 1 |
   Ace Gunner |
| RADIO
OPERATOR |
Williams, Jack |
|
8 |
 INFIRMARY: Return June 24. |
||
| RADIO
OPERATOR |
Watts, Robert |
 |
0 |
Temporary replacement for T/Sgt Williams | ||
Ball
Turret Gunner |
Steele,
Ray |
|
18 |
2 | |
|
| Left
Waist Gunner |
Belln,
Larry |
|
8 |
Infirmary. Back March, 10th, 1943.
|
||
| Left
Waist Gunner |
Loew, Charles |
|
7 |
|
||
| Left
Waist Gunner |
Dunham, Edward |
|
3 |
|
||
| Right
Waist Gunner |
Otiker, Tom |
|
13 |
|
||
| Right
Waist Gunner |
Brown, John |
|
4 |
|
||
| Tail
Gunner |
McCune,
Doune |
|
+1 |
18 |
10 2 |
 Ace Gunner. |
CREW NOTES
| Mission # | PILOT |
CO-PILOT |
BOMBARDIER |
NAVIGATOR |
ENGINEER |
RADIO OPERATOR | BALL
TURRET GUNNER |
LEFT
WAIST GUNNER |
RIGHT
WAIST GUNNER |
TAIL
GUNNER |
| 38/1 | Higginbottem |
Sugitan |
Layton SW-IH |
Verdun |
Arnold |
Williams |
Steele |
Dunham |
Brown |
McCune |
| 39/2 | Ashley | SW | ||||||||
| 40/3 | LW | Vogt | Lane | |
LW | |||||
| Sugitan | Barclay | Watts | ||||||||
GREEN:
New crew man. RED:
KIA.
PURPLE: Wounded. BLUE: Frost bite. LT GREEN: Temporary crew man.
AFTER
ACTION REPORT
| MISSION # |
DATE |
TARGET
AREA AND TARGET |
MISSION DESCRIPTION |
| 39/2 | May 15, 1943 |
Heligoland/Wilhelmshaven |
The
operation went very
smoothly until we reached zone 7 outbound. A group of four M109 and
Me110 jumped us and inflicted a very heavy toll on human life. The same
Me109 killed Lt. Ashley outright and then flying debris from the same
round struck Lt. Verdun in the chest and cut one of the main arteries
to his heart. At that point we were without a navigator and a
bombardier.
At
the same time the ball turret machine guns became inoperable. Within a
few more seconds the tail guns became inoperable. It was one those days
if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.
“Pretty
in Pink” hung in there due to the fact that we were the lead and we
could still use our remained guns to help defend the group.
Luckily the flak at the target was light and did not incur any flak hits.
As the group came off the target we made a wide left turn to start the regrouping process and then head for home, a Me110
at 6 Level registers 4 hits that knocked the tail gunner Oxygen supply
out and severely wounded gunner Sgt. McCune. Doug. McCune was able to
pick up his carry around Oxygen bottle and then struggled to the
midsection where he received first aid from the waist gunners.
In zone 7 inbound the radio went out due to technical malfunction and the top turret machineguns jammed.
Zone 4 inbound saw the last enemy A/C attack with no effect.
Respectfully Submitted,
Harry B. HigginbottemHarry B. Higginbottem
Colonel, Air Corps (ren.)
Group Commander
918th Bomb Group (H)
|
| 38/1 | May 14, 1943 |
Kiel, U-Boats |
We
were very lucky on the maiden mission of ‘Pretty in Pink’ to have had
only minor combat damage. Unfortunately, Lt. Layton was severely
wounded and will have invalided
home due to wounds. Zero target hits are common for the first flight of
an aircraft but is not acceptable for a veteran crew. The crew will be
put through extra simulated aerial combat training until I am satisfied
with the performance of the aircraft and the crew.
Respectfully Submitted,
Harry B. HigginbottemHarry B. Higginbottem
Colonel, Air Corps (ren.)Commanding Officer
918th Bomb Group (H)
|
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