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| USAAF 5th AF Former Assignments 19th BG 30th BS 43rd BG 65th BS 63rd BS |
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 On August 21, 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS). Nicknamed "Blitz Buggy" with double quotations in white block letters. On September 15, 1942 at 2:30pm took off from Mareeba Airfield piloted by Captain Cecil C. Knudsen as one of seven B-17s on a flight to 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby arriving at 5:30pm to stage for bombing mission (SM 49/15) then took off again armed with 500 pound bombs on a night bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield with the secondary target Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. This B-17 was part of "B" flight led by Williams. The bombers flew via Hood Point then over New Britain bound for Rabaul. The weather was extremely bad with rain, lightning and thunder storms and no moon. Inbound, this B-17 became separated and flew to the target area alone and bombed the runway diagonally and claimed many planes hit and at least two left burning and were targeted by anti-aircraft fire. Despite the bad weather, this B-17 returned safely and landed in the early morning hours of September 16, 1942. For his actions and expert piloting, Knudsen was recommended for the Silver Star. On October 5, 1942 took off from Mareeba Airfield piloted by Major Rouse leading six B-17s from the 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS) and landed at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby to stage for a mission then took off again on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. On October 6, 1942 at dawn the formation arrived over the target area at 24,000'. Although the weather was clear, a cloud was over Vunakanau Airfield and were unable to bomb and went around for a second bomb run. Because of the delay, the formation was intercepted by approximately 25 Zeros that made head on attacks. This B-17 was hit in the nose, knocking out the no. 2 engine. Aboard, navigator Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pilot Officer Allan J. Davenport was injured in his leg. Without any morphine, he was given codeine and seemed to rest easier. Rouse later wrote of him "Never a word of complaint... bravest kid I ever saw.". Damaged, this bomber fell back in the formation but managed to land safely at 7 Mile Drome. Davenport was immediately taken to the hospital and later died of his wounds. In December 1942, transferred to the 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 65th Bombardment Squadron (65th BS). Assigned to crew cheif Whipple. This bomber was based at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby. 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 piloted by Melvin "Dutch" Ehlers on a solo reconnaissance mission 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. When spotted, bombardier Boren jettisoned their bombs and the bomb bay fuel tank. The bomber was engaged by the Zeros for forty-five minutes before reaching clouds and was able to escape. During the combat, an A6M Zero put a burst of gunfire into the nose, severely wounding Boren in the left arm. He used a belt of ammunition as a tourniquet, and kept firing. Pilot Ehlers was hit and unconscious. Co-pilot Cochran was also wounded and flew the bomber back to base. Navigator Bryant was badly wounded and two other crew members sustained minor injuries. The gunners claimed five Zeros 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". Damaged, the B-17 was transfered to the 65th Bombardment Squadron (65th BS) and repaired. Assigned to pilot Sogaard with crew cheif Whipple. On June 13, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby as one of seven B-17s on a night bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Over the target, damaged by anti-aircraft fire in the left wing and returning force landed at 7 Mile Drome. Afterwards, this B-17 underwent repairs over a month. By October 1943 transfered out of the squadron. Afterwards, this bomber became the personal transport of Major General Ennis C. Whitehead (C. O. 5th Fighter Command). The nose art remained, but bomb markings were painted over, with only "403", the last four digits of the serial number on the tail. During 1948, scrapped at Clark Field on Luzon. Memorials Davenport died of wounds October 5, 1942 at age 22. He earned the U.S. Army Silver Star. He is buried at Bomana War Cemetery at B2. D. 3.. He is also commemorated at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) Commemorative Area. 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." 30th Bomb Squadron "Recommendation of Citation [Kundson Silver Star, September 15, 1942], November 8, 1942 Down Under (1943) includes a photo of the crew of "The Old Man" WW2 Nominal Roll - Allan Jack Davenport, 409296 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, November 23, 1944 page 2608 position 27 Allan Jack Davenport CWGC - Allan Jack Davenport AWM - Honours and Awards Allan Jack Davenport AWM - Roll of Honour Allan Jack Davenport Virtual War Memorial Australia - Allan Jack Davenport (photo) FindAGrave - Pilot Officer Allan Jack Davenport (grave photo) FindAGrave - Allan Jack Davenport (AWM Commemorative Area) Pride of Seattle (1998) page 7-8, 10 Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 248 (September 15, 1942), 391 (41-24403), 438 (footnote 24) War In Pacific Skies (2003) page 81 "The Old Man at Gasmata" by Jack Fellows Flightpath Vol. 22 No 2 (2010) "Flying With The Yanks: Part One" by Steve Birdsall pages 25-26 Flightpath Vol. 22 No 3 (2011) "Flying With The Yanks: Part Two" by Steve Birdsall pages 26-27 Flightpath Vol. 24 No. 1 (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) Ken’s Men Against the Empire The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2016) pages 83 (photos), 148-152 (March 8, 1943), 175, 203-204 (June 13, 1943), 211 (photos), 212 (The Old Man at Gasmata by Jack Fellows), 213 (description), 216 (Profile 7), 221 (Profile 7a detail), 222 (Profile 7b detail), 305 (VIP transport), 325 (63rd BS, 41-24403), 329 (65th BS, 41-24403), 336, 344, 355-357 (Profile 7 description), 404 (index The Old Man) Thanks to Steve Birdsall and Robert Rocker for additional information Contribute
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