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97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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GuyYork
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97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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03/09/2009 08:40:04 AM
( #1 )
Bad crosswinds on 6 July 1943 at Cheateaudun, North Africa caused a B 17 to crash on takeoff, exploding and killing the crew and one ground crewman. MARC #16152 shows the Pilot as John Gold and Co Pilot as Leslie Johnson. For 66 years our family has always assumes that Lt. Paul (Pete) Slaten was pilot in command. All other records and documents other than the MARC indicate that Pete was at the controls. The MARC is very sketchy and incomplete and not even signed.
I am looking for any information that would help resolve this question. I suppose that the only ones that actually knew who was flying the plane are the crew and possibly the ground crew since they are in close proximity to the aircraft at start up and taxi.
Crew List...John Gold, Leslie Johnson, Gordon Lowe, Bennie Morris, John Showers, Paul Slaten, Wm Studel, Walter Well, Alexander Wodopian , George Gallant.
I look forward to hearing from anyone assigned to the 97th at Cheateaudun 1943.
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Leendert
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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03/19/2009 07:08:58 AM
( #2 )
Guy,
I don't have access to this MACR, but on your new website it says that John Cold (Gold?) was a Sergeant. I presume the info on your site was taken from this MACR? If so, then the odd thing is that a B-17 pilot would have had at least the rank of 2nd Lt.
Perhaps therefore the names of Cold/Gold and Slaten were mixed as to the position they had in the B-17?
Regards,
Leendert
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martyjhawk
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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03/19/2009 03:22:33 PM
( #3 )
You might check to see if there is an accident report available for this crash. Since it happened on take off, it would make more sense that they would have prepared one at the time of the crash. The MACR was done long after the accident (its dated 10 April of 46), and the names typed on the report are in alphabetical order except for the 10th crew member. In Dick Drain's 5th Wing History book, the plane was reported to be named "The Virgin", and the pilot was Paul Staten. I will check my book on the 97th BG when I get home to see if it has any more info on the crash. Marty
<message edited by martyjhawk on 03/20/2009 09:16:44 AM >
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GuyYork
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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04/22/2009 08:18:12 AM
( #4 )
martyjhawk
You might check to see if there is an accident report available for this crash. Since it happened on take off, it would make more sense that they would have prepared one at the time of the crash. The MACR was done long after the accident (its dated 10 April of 46), and the names typed on the report are in alphabetical order except for the 10th crew member.
In Dick Drain's 5th Wing History book, the plane was reported to be named "The Virgin", and the pilot was Paul Staten.
I will check my book on the 97th BG when I get home to see if it has any more info on the crash.
Marty
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GuyYork
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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04/22/2009 08:27:37 AM
( #5 )
Hello Marty,
Thanks for the reply..yes I see now that the date of the MACR is long after the crash. Where would I go for an accident report? I also see that the names are alphabetical now. That would account for Paul not being listed as Pilot? This was his 6th mission and I know that new crews just arriving in theater were spread around to gain experiance for older crews for their first few missions. You are correct on the name of the plane and Uncle "Pete", Paul was aircraft commander. I look forward to any other info you come up with.
Guy
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GuyYork
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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04/22/2009 08:33:35 AM
( #6 )
Hello Leendert
I think Marty has helped straighten out the listing of names now. They appear to be in alphabetical order on the MACR regardless of rank or crew position.
Guy
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shooshoobaby
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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04/22/2009 12:09:25 PM
( #7 )
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GuyYork
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Re:97th BG Cheateaudun, North Africa 1943
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04/22/2009 05:09:37 PM
( #8 )
Thanks Mike
I did reache these folks earlier and all they had was a very incomplete MACR. Things were moving so quickly in North Africa July of 43 that I am sure a lot didn't get recorded. Do you know anythig about pre-mission crew and loading sheets that were posted the night before a mission. I have read some very good books where some of these were show in detail.
Guy
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