Delivered 38RS/19BG [aircraft 39] Salt Lake City 15-Jan-41; transferred 9BS/7BG, with F.R. Dent crash landed Selfridge Field 24-Feb-41; Albuquerque 4-Dec-41; Pearl Harbor 7-Dec-41 with:
P Lt Bob Richards; CP Leon Humiston
Aviation Cadet F.B. Morris, Aviation Cadet George Gammans
AG S/Sgt Joe Angelini; AG S/Sgt Erwin Casebolt
AG S/Sgt Melvin Zajic; S/Sgt Lawrence Velarde
Pvt Vernon Tomlinson;
Aircraft was heavily damaged by Japanese fighters on arrival at Bellows Field, salvaged for spare parts. SKIPPER.
Below Salvaging 40-2049 after it ran off the runway at Bellows Field, TH during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/61Per "Pacific wrecks": Aircraft History
Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2050. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17C Flying Fortress serial number 40-2049 and delivered to Fort Douglas Airfield.
Assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron. Nicknamed "Skipper" in honor of SSgt Angelini's six week old Scotch terrier mix puppy. On February 24, 1941 assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Squadron at Selfridge Field in Michigan. Later, assigned to the 431st Bombardment Squadron.
Mission History
On December 6, 1941 took off from Hamilton Field piloted by 1st Lt. Robert H. Richards on an unarmed 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. 7" including pilot 1st Lt Robert H. Richards, co-pilot 2nd Lt Leonard S. Humiston, Aviation Cadet William F. B. Morris, Aviation Cadet George E. Gammans, SSgt Joseph S. Angelini, SSgt Erwin B. Casebolt, SSgt Melvin D. Zajic, SSgt Lawrence B. Velarde, and Pvt Vernon D. Tomlinson.
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 bomber was attacked by A6M2 Zeros from Akagi, including A6M2 Zero piloted by PO1c Juichiro Hanyu who mistook the B-17 as a transport aircraft. His attack scored hits on the bomber, causing damage and wounding two of the crew, one severely. Damaged, pilot Richards force landed at Bellows Field the nearest runway and was the last B-17 from the ferry flight to land on Oahu.
On the ground, the wounded crew was rushed for medical attention. Doctors stated that the most wounded would have bled to death if the landing had been delayed longer. Afterwards, was hoped this B-17 could be repaired. Instead, it was used for spare parts and the rest scrapped.
Fates of the Crew
On September 8, 1942 pilot Robert H. Richards and navigator William F. B. Morris were crew members aboard B-17E "Stingaree" 41-9071 that was shot down by a H6K2 Mavis flying boat and crashed on Rendova Island in the Solomon Islands.
Source:
https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ ... -2049.html
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