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| USAAF 13th AF 11th BG 42nd BS |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number unknown. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-???? (last four digits unknown). Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then to the South Pacific (SoPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 42nd Bombardment Squadron (42nd BS). Nicknamed "Bitch Kitty" on both sides of the nose. Assigned to Capt. James "Ted" E. Joham. During December 1942, this bomber was photographed by Ralph Morse, LIFE Magazine undergoing maintenance at Bomber 1 on Espiritu Santo. Later, photographed loading supplies for an aerial supply drop to American troops on Guadalcanal. Ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center - Bitch Kitty RG1 - H.U. Milne Coll. .9487 Box 35 B-17 bomber 'Bitch Kitty' prepares to drop supplies to troops on Guadalcanal, 1943 via WaybackMachine September 24, 2015 Pacific Wrecks Forum - "B-17E "Bitch Kitty"??? 5th or 11BG" Jagdflieger: "Bitch Kitty was assigned to Capt. James "Ted" E. Joham of Santa Barbara, California. You are probably right. These photos were probably made at either Buttons or Cactus. He first flew to Cactus on 4 Oct with the 72nd Bomb Squadron (H) for attacks on Buka. His base leg was over Jap held territory. A Marine Major told him to hurry up and get the hell out of there because "Pistol Pete" would start shelling the field. Sure enough, Pistol Pete opened up just as "Ted" was taking the active runway. He poured on the coals racing down the runway with artillery shells following about 100 yards behind him. He was at Cactus again on the 5th and participated on attacks on Gizo and Rekata Bay. Sometime in very early Nov. Bitch Kitty engaged two Jap float-planes... but that's another story in itself. Capt. Joham was transferred to the 98th Bomb (H) on 9 Nov and was then flying Typhoon McGoon with the USO Crew. He was written up for his discovery of the Jap fleet coming down the slot on 14 Nov in Reader's Digest, Cruising Speed, private printing 1987, Grey Geese Calling, W.M. Cleveland (History of the 11th Bombardment Group (H), 1981 (Limited Edition); and mentioned in Battle for the Solomons, by Ira Wolfert, Boston 1943. I don't recognize Ted in your wonderful photos. Many, many thanks for posting them." Contribute
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