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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 65th BS Former Assignments 88th RS 19th BG 30th BS 374th TCG 21st TCS 64th BS |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2219. On October 29, 1941 delivered to the to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2408 at Boeing Field. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). By late November 1941 assigned to the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (88th RS) at Fort Douglas Airfield. No known nickname or nose art. Wartime History On December 6, 1941 took off from Hamilton Field piloted by 1st Lt Karl T. Barthelmess on a ferry flight bound for Hickam Field on Oahu. This bomber had the .50 caliber machine guns installed but carried no ammunition. Aboard was "Crew No. 2" including co-pilot 2d Lt Larry J. Sheehan, 2d Lt Charles E. Bergdoll, Avn Cdt John C. Adams, TSgt Roy H. Coulter, SSgt Nicholas H. Kahlefent, SSgt Lee R. Embree, Sgt Vance H. Spears, and Cpl Raymond R. Joslin. On December 7, 1941 in the morning incoming Japanese aircraft detected on radar were dismissed as the expected flight of B-17s and arrived during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and Oahu. This B-17 landed safely at Hickam Field. Afterwards, painted in Hawaiian Air Depot (HAD) three color camouflage scheme consisting of dark green, olive drab and tan upper surfaces with standard gray lower surfaces. During the remainder of December 1942, this B-17 flew reconnaissance missions from Hickam Field patrolling the Pacific Ocean area off Hawaii. During January 1942, flown on a ferry flight from Hickam Field across the Pacific to Australia. In early February 1942, dispersed from Garbutt Field to Mareeba Airfield, fearing a Japanese air raid against Townsville. Afterwards, flown back to Garbutt Field. On February 20, 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS). No known nose art or nickname and sometime after assignment the lower turret was removed. On February 22, 1942 in the late evening took off from Garbutt Field near Townsville piloted by 1st Lt Harry N. Brandon armed with bombs as one of six B-17s led by Major Richard H. Carmichael on a bombing mission against Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul. After take off, the formation divided into two echelons. The 1st echelon was led by B-17E pilot Major Richard H. Carmichael, B-17E 41-2446 pilot Captain Frederick "Fred" C. Eaton, Jr., B-17E pilot Swenson and B-17E 41-2408 pilot 1st Lt Harry N. Brandon. The 2nd echelon: B-17E pilot Lewis and B-17E pilot Speith. Inbound, the bombers experienced bad weather and proceeded to the target area individually. Unable to find the target and due to bad weather, B-17E pilot Speith aborted the mission. On February 23, 1942 at dawn, only five B-17s managed to reach the Rabaul area and made individual bomb runs from high altitude against Japanese ships in Simpson Harbor. On the first bomb run, this B-17 was unable to release its bombs due to a mechanical problem with the bomb bay and elected to go around again to make another run. On the second bomb run, this B-17 was reportedly hit by an anti-aircraft shell that penetrated the right wing without exploding and created a hole visible to the crew before releasing their bombs on a Japanese freighter estimated to be 10,000 tons but was unable to observe the results of their bombing due to clouds below. Departing, this B-17 was intercepted by Japanese fighters including A5M4 Claudes and A6M2 Zeros. None of the intercepting Japanese fighters were lost or damaged. Afterwards, landed at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby with the left engine out from battle damage and ran out of fuel taxing on the runway. On March 12, 1942, took off from Batchelor Field near Darwin piloted by Captain Harold Chaffin on a flight to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao but mechanical problems caused it to arrive late. On March 16, 1942 took off from Del Monte Airfield as one of three B-17E Flying Fortress used to evacuate General Douglas MacArthur, his family and senior staff to Batchelor Field near Darwin in Australia. During September 1942, this B-17 was briefly assigned to the 374th Troop Carrier Group (374th TCG), 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (21st TCS) and was overhauled and modified in Australia. On November 28, 1942 assigned to the 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 64th Bombardment Squadron (64th BS) based at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby. On June 9, 1943 around 11:30pm took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Lt. Joseph E. Hensler as one of four B-17s from the 64th BS on a night mission to bomb Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. The formation also included seven B-17s from the 64th Bombardment Squadron (64th BS) plus a single B-17 and four B-24 Liberators from the 403rd Bombardment Squadron (403rd BS). On June 10, 1943 around 4:00am this bomber reached the target area and saw search lights on the ground and anti-aircraft fire. At 4:38am this B-17 was spotted by Japanese Navy J1N1 Irving night fighter piloted by W/O Satoru Ono and shadowed for 20 minutes and maneuvered into position for an attack from below and behind. At 5:00am as this bomber was on the bomb run and released twenty 100 pound bombs, the night fighter opened fire and score hits on the fuselage and right wing then made a second firing pass from 2 o'clock low position. The second pass hit the no. 3 engine disabling the supercharger and sheared off 9" of one of the propeller blades and one crew member sustained minor wounds form plexiglass fragments. Damaged, the B-17 went into a dive but was able to land safely at Dobodura. On July 13, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome on a bombing mission against Lae with B-17E "Queenie" 41-2464, B-17F "Dinah Might ?" 41-24355, B-17F "Little Poopsie Adele" 41-24548 and a single B-24. This was the last B-17 mission flown by the 64th Bombardment Squadron as they converted operate the B-24 Liberator. In late July 1943 transfered to the 65th Bombardment Squadron (65th BS). By September 1943 removed when the squadron converted to the B-24 Liberator. On October 14, 1944 this B-17 was scrapped at Brisbane. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2408 "2408 was one of the planes that arrived over Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941. Used to evacuate General MacArthur from Philippines Mar 25, 1942. Salvaged in Brisbane, Australia Oct 14, 1944." 7 December 1941 The Air Force Story - Appendix D B-17s Arriving During the Attack page 158-159 "B-17E 41-2408 / Crew No. 2: 1st Lt Karl T. Barthelmess, 2d Lt Larry J. Sheehan, 2d Lt Charles E. Bergdoll, Avn Cdt John C. Adams, TSgt Roy H. Coulter, SSgt Nicholas H. Kahlefent, SSgt Lee R. Embree, Sgt Vance H. Spears, and Cpl Raymond R. Joslin." Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 357, 384 Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) pages 327, 330 Aviation History Magazine July 2016 "Pacific Tramps" by Steve Birdsall page 22, 25 Contribute
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