Aircraft History
Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3086. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-5-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24403. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across to the Pacific to Australia.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS). Nicknamed "Blitz Buggy". This bomber operated from Mareeba Airfield.

During late 1942, transferred to the 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 63rd Bombardment Squadron (63rd BS). Operated from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby.

On October 5, 1942 took off from Mareeba Airfield piloted by Major Rouse leading six bombers from the 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS) and landed to refuel at 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby then took off again on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Over the target on October 6, 1942 at dawn at 24,000' although the weather was clear but a cloud was over the target, requiring the formation to go around for another bomb run. Because of the delay, the formation was attacked by approximately 25 Zeros that madde head on attacks. This B-17 was hit in the nose, knocking out the no. 2 engine and wounding navigator PO Allan Davenport in the leg. Damaged, this bomber fell back in the formation.

During January 1943, this B-17's nose art was over painted and the bomber was renamed "The Old Man" in Old English font with the nose art of Uncle Sam giving the thumbs up and wearing a top hat. Serviced by crew chief Ernie Vandal, A. C. C. John Duck, Mike Espinosa, William "Bill" McMurray.

On March 8, 1943 took off on a solo reconnaissance mission on over the Solomon Sea and Gasmata.

The crew included: pilot Melvin "Dutch" Ehlers (WIA), co-pilot  Joseph Cochran (WIA), Navigator  Warren "Doc" Bryant (WIA), Bombardier  Thomas Lloyd "Breezy" Boren (WIA), engineer  Madison, radio operator Boly, ball turret gunner  Andrade, gunner  Gerriola, photographer  MSgt Leonard Francis Williams of Brooklyn, New York and tail gunner  Sgt David Eckholt.

When this B-17 flew over Gasmata Airfield, thirteen Zeros intercepted the bomber. When spotted, the bombardier Boren jettisoned their bombs and the bomb bay long range fuel tank. The bomber was attacked by the Zeros for forty-five minutes before the B-17 was able to reach the clouds and escape.

During the combat, an A6M Zero put a burst of gunfire into the nose, wounding Boren in the left arm severely. He used a belt of ammunition as a tourniquet, and kept shooting. The pilot was shot so bad he was unconscious for the flight home. Co-pilot Cochran was also wounded. The navigator was badly wounded plus two other crew members sustained minor wounds. Five Zeros were claimed as shot down.

Robert Rocker recalls his interviews with Boren:
"The top turret gunner landed the B-17 at Dobodura Airfield had washed out of flight school with the help of one of the wounded pilots. A photographer was assigned to the flight to take photos on the mission and when Lloyd Boren got shot and was bleeding and he asked the photographer to help him get his belt off for a tourniquet the guy froze in fear because of all off the blood. So Boren had to keep firing his gun and tend to his wound by himself. He told me that when they got into the clouds and everything calmed down. When they got to Dobodura a 7th FS pilot Dick Vodra took the wounded out of the B-17 and he remembered Bob he said when they opened the chin hatch there was so many badly wounded in that aircraft that 'blood ran out of the aircraft'. Every one of the wounded went to hospitals in Australia and lived. Years later, Lloyd Boren got artist Jack Fellows to do a painting "The Old Man at Gasmata".

Repaired, this B--17 later became the personal transport of General Whitehead (C. O. 5th Fighter Command). The nose art remained, but bomb markings were painted over, with only the last four digits of the serial number '403' on the tail.

During 1948, scrapped at Clark Field on Luzon.

Relatives
Don Williams (son of Leonard Francis Williams)
"I have found that all the crew members have now passed away - Breezy was the last in February 2008. I have located the daughter of the pilot, the daughter and sister of [Boren] "Breezy" and the daughter of the tail gunner. I am closing in on finding some relatives of Cochran. I do hope to find some living relatives of the rest of the crew."

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-5-BO Flying Fortress 41-24403
"24403 to 30th BS, 19th BG, transferred to 403rd BS, 43rd BG. Salvaged at Clark AB in 1948."
Down Under (1943) includes a photo of the crew of "The Old Man"
Pride of Seattle (1998) page 7-8, 10
War In Pacific Skies (2003) page 81
"The Old Man at Gasmata" by Jack Fellows
Flightpath August-October 2012 "Rabaul October" by Steve Birdsall page 55
"Menace from Moresby" has a photo of the crew after the mission (minus the all the wounded Officers)
Thanks to Steve Birdsall and Robert Rocker for additional information

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Last Updated
October 4, 2021