Need Serial Number On B-17

A B-17 was lost over Papua New Guinea on/or about 11/2/43, belonging to the 28th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group.  I would like if someone could give me the serial number of this plane.  One of the crew members name was S/Sgt Robert D. Chopping who was a gunner.  Thank You:   John

Dear John,
 
I'm a bit sceptical of that date, as I think it's maybe 43rdBG, since the 19thBG was going home "there-abouts" around October 42.
 
Just check. I've come up with "nadda" so far
 
Best
Gordy
 

John...According to the American Battle Monuments Commission Website, www.abmc.gov ,the date was 11/02/1942..not 1943. And yes he is listed as being in the 28th BS of the 19th BG. He is buried at the Honolulu Memorial in Plot F,Row 0, Grave 119.

Jim :-)

Salecker, Fortress Against the Sun, p279 - - mentions Master Sergeant Robert Chopping, 3Nov42 - - - a B17 of 28th Sqn received a hit in the tail seriously wounding the tail gunner, Master Sergeant Robert Chopping. Despite medical attention from the crew he sadly passed away becoming the last casualty of 19th B Gp. [No doubt, this "last casualty" claim is relative to operations from Australia.]
 
His B17 number is not listed, seems it returned to base.
 
Cheers, Wynnum.
 
 

Wynnum....Just for the record....The abmc website lists Chopping Robert as a S/Sgt.  Which is correct ?  (I don't know).

Jim :-)

Salecker, Fortress Against the Sun, p279 - - mentions

Jim,

Best perhaps you take it up with the author whom I named and quoted.

Wynnum.

Wynnum...I did not intend my comment to start an argument.....merely to point out that the abmc read differently.

Due to the fluid conditions in the Pacific at that time, it is possible, he actually was a M/Sgt, and the paperwork was lost.  Sometimes, all that could be salvaged would be the personnel and the aircraft, and the records would have been abandoned in favor of getting the personnel out of the way of the advancing Japanese.
 
So, he could have held a M/Sgt (Temporary) with a rank of S/SGT (PERMANENT), which is what the abmc shows.

I know from experience, in my own case, I was given a TEMPORARY promotion in rank, then  that TEMPORARY promotion was made PERMANENT, at a later date.

In those days, almost anything was possible.

Jim :-)

Jim... thank you for the information you give me it helps me a lot.  Again thanks a lot.    John

Wynnum...Thank you for the information you give me,  as you know every little bit of information helps.  Again thanks a lot.   John

John...Still working on the serial number.
 
Jim :-)

I just happened upon this old thread.

Gene Salecker's book is wrong on this one.

Robert D. Chopping was killed in 41-24424, the "Hell from Heaven Men" on November 2, 1942. The pilot of the plane was Captain Richard Ezzard.

He was a Staff Sergeant at the time of his death.

I've been told that the entire crew was awarded the Silver Star, but I can find no evidence of that. Can anyone help me?

Forman's book says he had a photo of a B-17 named "Hell from the Heavens" from the 19th BG.  I am guessing this was the plane, but someone has the name a little bit off.

Marty

I've got a photo too, and it's "Hell from Heaven Men" for sure. I've seen that Forman error in print somewhere else, maybe that's where he got it.

"41-24424 "HELL from HEAVEN MEN" was delivered on 28 June 42.  It was assigned to the 28th BS, 19th BG and later passed on to the 64th BS, 43rd BG.  The aircraft was lost with Pilot Arthur McMullan on 15 March 1943 while returning friom an abortive mission to Wewak.  The aircraft was ditched in heavy rain and fog due to fuel shortage.  Only co-pilot Lt Howard Eberly, bombadier Lt John Dawson and Radio operator S/Sgt Robert Freeman got out and began swimming.  Freeman could not keep up and drowned, but Eberly and Dawson finally reached the shore fourteen hours later."
This info is from "The Pride of Seattle", page 8. the story of the first 300 B-17 F's.  Squadron/Signal publications, copyright 1998, written by Steve Birdsall.
OOPS!  That's awkward.  I knew I recognized that name from somewhere.  Sorry Steve!  At least i was quoting my source.  ;)  :)
What little you had on the 41-24428, wasn't much help, so I have rarely looked at it for years.
Glad I could help fill in some blanks for the 2018 "revised" edition.
The 41-24424 came off the line, 4 planes before my Dad's, but lasted a lot longer.
I recently posted this.  To save you time, here it is.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-24428/crash-mareeba.html

I feel your frustration.  It only took me 25 years to find out what my Dad was doing there.
Follow the links in the Pacific Wrecks page above for the rest of the story.
Our Fathers/Grandfathers/Uncles most likely flew and lived together, while the 93rd, recently evacted from The Phillipines was still fighting with replacements from the 30th & 43rd Sqds at Mareeba AB, Queensland, Australia.
If you don't yet know what they were doing, this should make you feel batter about losing him.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_milne_bay.html
The first time Jap Marines were pushed back into the sea, by the Australian Army with air support from the 5th USAAC.   There is a blurry photo of "HELL from HEAVENS MEN" on this site: 
 
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/usaaf/leenclark.htm
It'e where I found a photo of the "Miss Carriage" crash that allowed me to help fill in the info, both sides were missing about that plane.  I've got a few photos from Mareeba that are up for inclusion in the"Gypsy 93rd" Bomb Sqd museum, under construction at Barksdale AFB.  If any of you have any more info or photos, please contact  Lt Col Jeff Stogsdill 
 
 jeff.stogsdill@barksdale.af.mil 
 
and feel free to tell him I sent you.
 
Good Hunting & Happy Landings
Thomas