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| USAAF 49th BS |
Pilot Captain Eugene "Gene" D. Zadontseff (died) St. Louis, MO Crew 1st Lt Elbert D. Hoffman (died) Drexil Hill, PA Navigator Aviation Cadet Edwin B. Perkins (died) Dayton, OH Crew Sgt Ester Brannon (died) Clayton, NC Crew Cpl Clarence A. Cunningham (died) Hickory Township, PA Crew Sgt Donald W. Shutt (injured, survived) Crew Cpl Clarance Roman (injured, survived) Crew Cpl Ernest L. Pugh (injured, survived) Crashed December 17, 1941 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2026. On December 12, 1939 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as B-17B Flying Fortress serial number 38-267. On February 7, 1940 delivered to March Field. On June 20, 1941 became the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Assigned to the 49th Bombardment Squadron (49th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 17, 1941 took off from Geiger Field piloted by Captain Eugene D. Zadontseff and suffered an engine failure and crashed roughly mile and a half away hitting trees and exploded with five died: Zadontseff, Hoffman, Perkins, Brannon and Cunningham plus three injured: Shutt, Roman and Pugh. Officially, this bomber was written off March 6, 1942. Memorials The five killed in the crash were officially declared dead the same day. Zadontseff is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in section OPSs2, site 2106A. Brannon has an unknown burial, presumably in his hometown in the United States. Cunningham is buried at Unity Cemetery in Harlansburg, PA at section II, row 13, lot 73, grave 3. Hoffman has an unknown burial, presumably in his hometown in the United States. Perkins is buried at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum in Dayton, OH at section 126, lot 198. Pugh was injured and returned to duty. On September 15, 1942 he was a gunner aboard B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24427 went Missing In Action (MIA) over New Britain. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17B Flying Fortress 38-267 USAF Accident Report Summary Sheet - B-17B Flying Fortress 38-267 Hanford Morning Journal "19 Missing Or Dead in U.S. Planes" December 20, 1941 page 1 FindAGrave - Captain Eugene Dimitry Zadontseff (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Cpl Clarence A. Cunningham (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Edwin Bruce Perkins (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ernest L. Pugh DPAA Personnel File - Ernest L. Pugh FindAGrave - Sgt Ernest Louis Pugh (marriage certificate, tablets of the missing) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 3, 2025 |
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