hallo,

I am searching all informations about another plane:

B-17F-90-BO, 42-30179, “Murder Incorporated”, 385BG, 550BS

Are there pictures of the plane or crew or memberlist ?
 
the plane crashed down near Herford, Germany, after fighter attack.


mfg
uwe

This B-17 was piloted by 2LT Herman M. Gurgel.  Of the crew, 4 KIA and 6 POW - MACR 189A.
 
Sorry, but that is all I have.
 
 

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

I do not have my copy with me, but I know Freeman's book  " The Mighty Eighth " has a picture of one captured crewman of Murder Incorporated.  Caption says policy in naming aircraft was changed after this incident because Germans were effectively able to use the name and pics for propaganda.

Are you sure you have the name right though ?  Jbaugher lists this A/C  as : 30179 (385th BG, 550th BS, 'Grim Reaper') lost Jul 28, 1943.  MACR 189A

If it is Murder Incorporated you are looking for, there is a article in the Journal of the Air Force Assn. on the incident I described above at
http://www.afa.org/magazine/1993/0993jacket.asp
 
Also this, and article by Lt. Kenneth Daniel Williams of the 351 BG who was one of the POW's captured from Murder Inc.  It has the same picture from the Mighty Eighth book, plus a crew shot of Murder Inc
http://www.merkki.com/murderinc.htm
 

SHAEF1944 American Veterans Museum

MACR 0189A:- T/O Great Ashfield, assigned P/T was the Focke Wulf assembly plant at Oschersleben, Germany. Crippled by fighters on return from target and crashed near Herford. 10 miles north-east of Bielefeld, Germany. The four killed were buried in Herford Cemetery, others b/o or were thrown clear when a/c exploded. 4 KIA 6 POW.

may be the crew list:

P 2Lt Herman M Gurgel, KIA
CP 2Lt Jacob Silverstein, KIA
N 2Lt Paul L Fauerso, POW
B 2Lt John W Hendricks, POW
E T/Sgt Frank J Bartnicki, POW
RO S/Sgt Leo Danahue, POW
BTG S/Sgt James T Holley, KIA
WG S/Sgt George W Dainton, POW
WG S/Sgt George L Krzyzak, POW
TG S/Sgt Richard L Gaston, KIA

shot down by:
Ofw. Kampmeier, Ein.St. Focke-Wulf, HS-HT: 7.500 m. ,Herford-Hameln, 10.25 Uhr und
Oblt. Harry Koch, 6./JG 1, HS-6: 5.000 m. Herford, 10.28 Uhr.

I am also looking at the cementry list herford, but not found yet.


thats what I have.

mfg
uwe

This from the 351 BG site :
 
42-29858
Originally called Murder Incorporated. However after the Germans used the photo of Lt. Kenneth Williams, wearing an A2 jacket with Murder Incorporated painted on it, for propaganda purposes. 8th AF Command forbade any contentious aircraft names. Consequently this a/c became "Censored".
June 28 1943 until Aug. 27 1943 with 447th Sub-Depot for battle damage repairs.
Sep. 3 1943 landed at Debden. Pilot Lt. Joseph S. Peck.
Sep. 15 1943 landed at Wesst Malling. Pilot Lt. Jack P. Kern.
Oct. 4 1943 landed at Framlingham. Pilot Lt. Leslie S. Cruthirds.
Dec. 1 1943 landed at Lakenheath . Pilot Lt. George A. Songer.
Dec. 31 1943 landed at Hurn. Pilot Lt. Richard J. Roper.
Jan. 11 1944 landed at Bungay. Pilot Lt. Lawrence H. Blaisdell.
Feb. 21 1944 lost an engine on take-off. Crash-landed and burned half mile east of Oundle. Pilot Lt. Howard R. Evans.

SHAEF1944 American Veterans Museum

Bits and Pieces lists 3 names
# 42 - 30179 C 
385th BG , 550th Sq.
" Grim Reaper "
" Murder Inc. "
" Murder Incorporated "
Lost 7/28/43
MACR # 189A
Contact 385th BG Historian Bill Varnedoe
billvar@comcast.net
Mike

thx for all informations.
 
I found this:
 
nickname "The Grim Reaper" Boeing B-17F-10-BO Fortress 41-24467, 306BG, 368BS, BO-?, 3 KIA, 8 POW,
MACR 15525.
shot down on 17.04.1943 in Aurich-Oldendorf.
 
 
 
mfg
uwe

 
 

Hendricks graduated from bombardier school at Roswell, New Mexico.  Class 42-17.
 
Dave

Link to: Bombardiers of WWII Website

New email address as of Feb 2006: hfhmsite@comcast.net

thx for informations.
 
I am still searching the CODE of the plane !!!
 
 
grüsse
 
uwe
 
 

Uwe,

Please clarify what 'CODE' you are searching for.  Squadron code was SG, radio code was C.  Bits & Pieces advises that squadron codes were assigned but were not displayed.

Hal