B17 J*DT

Does anyone know the serial number of B17 showing J*DT markings?
I assume JD is for 545th BS
Thanks for your help
 
Phil

Phil in Ixelles, Belgium

Results from 384thBombGroup.com website:

42-3235, MIA 7/4/43
42-3259, Transferred 3/1/44
43-37971, Moved with group to Istres

Fred Preller
Fate, Texas, USA
http://Mighty8thAF.Preller.US/
http://384thBombGroup.com/

Thanks a lot ,Fred
But the a/c I' m searching for was lost over Belgium on march 4th 1944
Could it be 42-32007 which belonged to 545th BS?
Phil

Phil in Ixelles, Belgium

Phil:
 
Yes, it might have been #42-32007 of the 384th BG/545th BS (squadron codes: JD).
 
Regards,
Mike
 

Phil -
# 42 - 32007 JD
545th Sq.
Shot down 3/4/44
Crashed Near Ransart , BE.
Pilot - Lt. George Cosentino
7 POW   2 Evaded  MACR # 2740
Mike

shooshoobaby


Phil -
# 42 - 32007 JD
545th Sq.
Shot down 3/4/44
Crashed Near Ransart , BE. Precisely in Wangenies
Pilot - Lt. George Cosentino
7 POW   2 Evaded  (Sgt Orean BTG &  S/Sgt Polito TOG) MACR # 2740 and one KIA ,Sgt Frank Butman, TTG
Mike

 
Thanks Mike,
But my problem is:
Is 42-32007 marked J*DT and/or  is the a/c marked J*DT  the #42-32007?
I've found, in MACR 2740 a page which I assume is a translation of a German report, showing list of POW's and KIA, position of the crash ( 3 km N of Ransart, 6Km N of Charleroi) and identification of the wrecked plane based upon what they could have seen at the time : 232007 T.
In my opinion this is what the germans saw on the vertical stabilizer.If i'm right, the individual call sign of the ship 42-32007 is T
Feel free to give me your opinion
I've been searching for that "damn' letter" for 10 years!!!!
Best regards from Belgium
Phil

Phil in Ixelles, Belgium

Phil -
None of my sources show ID Letter.
This B - 17 was transferred from
381st BG , Received by 384th BG 3/1/44.
Lost 3 Days later. Probably why ID Letter unknown.
Mike

Steady on, Phil!

You may wish to download the relevant MACR (2740) from the 384th website and examine the 12th page of the file (page shows up in the navigation window as "Page 14.jpg"). There it says:

Type: F
In Triangle A  , 232007 -T
545th HB 384th Group

Answers questions, and raises others. 007 was a B-17G When you get it all figured out, please let me know and I will make any adjustments to the database.

And lets be clear - the records I am consulting show this AC was assigned to the 384th on 1 March 1944, and shot down on 4 March 1944. That is in between the other uses of the letter T known to me.

Cheers,
f3

Fred Preller
Fate, Texas, USA
http://Mighty8thAF.Preller.US/
http://384thBombGroup.com/

Phil,
 
In 1988 I was the Public Information Officer and Deputy Operations Officer for the Arizona Wing of the Confederate Air Force.  The Arizona Wing is the home of the B17G, Sentimental Journey.
 
One of the early flights of the ’88 tour season was scheduled for April 28^th from our home base in Mesa, Arizona to Las Cruces, New Mexico.  Sometime before the 28^th, a Mr. Dan Repony approached me in the hangar as said that his father-in-law had been a crew member on a B17 and that he lived in Las Cruces. Dan wanted to know if he could arrange for his father-in-law to get ride while the aircraft was in Las Cruces.
 
My father was a B17 crew member and I had a keen appreciation of how important it would be for this request to be accommodated.  But in 1988 the FAA regulations, CAF rules, and insurance restrictions made it nearly impossible to get someone on a press flight at a tour stop.  So I check the crew schedule for the flight to Las Cruces and then suggested that if his father-in-law came to Mesa, I would do my best to put him on the aircraft for the trip to Las Cruces.
 
On April 28, 1988, Dan, his wife Linda, and Linda’s father Sgt Clinton H. Orean arrived at the hangar.  Sgt Orean was the ball turret gunner in 2^nd Lt. George Consentino’s crew on 4 March 1944.
 
It was a beautiful day and things progressed as planned.  I spent some time with Clint and did the requisite paperwork and then had the honor of putting him onboard a B17 for the first time in over 44 years.
 
Clint had an excellent trip and afterwards was inspired to write of his experience as a crew member and as he evaded capture for months after his aircraft crashed in occupied Belgium.  His story is approximately 20 pages of text and another 20 pages of pictures.  Clint printed 12 copies and I was privileged to receive one.  Clint died a few years ago and I have not spoken to Dan or Linda for some time, so I'll have to catch up with them.  When I do, I will check with Linda to see if she has the original photos used for the book and if we can post them on this sight.  I’ll update you when I know.
 
Chris Ames

Thanks a lot Chris,
At the beggining of my search ( 1999-2000) I've been in touch with Clinton Orean.He told me a little about his escape.
At that time, my aim was to reconstruct the "escape journey" of S/Sgt Michael John Polito who has been hidden in a house 100m far from where I lived,in the village Hyon,near Mons,Belgium.I did not know that because I was not yet born!!
Hyon is about 45km south from the crash site at Wagnenies.The only think I had was a photo of Polito and his signature with his name.The name led me to the plane wich led me to the other crewmembers.I don't remember how I found Clinton's mail, but when I wrote to him, he  confirmed that Polito was was actualy the nose gunner of 42-32007 who also evaded capture. Polito was first hidden in Wangenies by the Belgian underground and then moved to the Mons area.He was liberated on september 2nd  1944 by the 3rd US AD.As far as I know, he died in 1994.
Does Clinton Orean say something about Polito in his book?
Thanks again
Have a nice New Year 2010.
Phil
 
PS: I visited the B17 "Texas Raider" when I was in Brewton, Alabama in July 2000

Phil in Ixelles, Belgium

Phil,
 
I just read Clint's book again and there is no mention of Polito.  The only other evadee Clint names is Robert Davis, a B-24 Navigator.  It is not clear exactly when he and Davis were together, maybe May or June of ’44.
 
Chris

Chris,
Clint does not mention Polito because he did not escape with him .When I asked Clint about Polito he wrote me that Polito was one who could have evaded capture and escape.At that time, Clint had to much to do for his own safety.This is  quite normal. Clint met  Davis during his escape with the  Belgian and French underground.Where and when, I don't know. This is only my opinion about what could have happened
Clint's "target" was Switzerland but due to " too many germans on the border", Clint withdrawlled to France and kept fighting  with the French  underground untill the US Army liberated the area he was in.
I guess we will have to talk again about Clinton Orean and the crash of 42-32007.
Best regards from Belgium.
 
Phil
 
philsave@voo.be

Phil in Ixelles, Belgium