Hello all.
I've been checking around trying to find information on my grandfather and his crew. I would like to know the names of the aircraft he had flown during WWII and the family has no information on any other members of his crew. He passed in July of last year and I would like to get some further info or maybe even some photos for my grandmother.

Here is the information I have:

Name: John G. Fabian

graduated from flight school in Valdosta GA on 30 Aug 1943
flew 45 missions in B-26 with the 12th AF, 17th Bombardment Grp., 432nd Bomb Sqdn. from 6 July 1944 to the end of Jan 1945. Corsica, Sardinia and Dijon.

reassigned to 9th AF in April 1945 and served as Op. officer, Flying control Ofc. and Service pilot in St. Dizier, France.

Crew returned home to Ft. Indiantown Gap, PA and was decommissioned before being sent to pacific theatre as Japan surrendered.

That's the best I have, any help or info would be appreciated.

On January 22nd 1945 42-107724 B/N 83 "Janette II" of 17th BG 432nd BS, piloted by John G. Fabian belly landed/crashed 1/2 mile West of Y-9 (Dijon/Longvic in France). The 17th BG had one mission that day, to bomb the Rastatt Rail Road Bridge in Germany. 12 B-26 Marauders from 34th BS also participated, but did not drop bombs due to bad weather. The formation ran into some flak and three 34th BS ships were holed, but they lost none.

Fabian's Marauder "Janette" was shot up, and was not repairable after the belly landing at it's homebase Dijon. Regarding name, I have some conflicting information, as there was a "Janette" 41-35141 B/N 83 in service with
432nd BS until May 1944, and 42-107724 might be "Janette II" which one source says. This Marauder was in 432nd BS service from May 1944 until January 1945.

When putting this serial into Google a photo came up which shows 42-107724 after the crash landing at Dijon:
http://home.fuse.net/vaughan/Images/42-107724/Sanette%2042-107724.jpg
 
I further checked my records and came up with a better photo of "Janette", I think it was named that as there is no "II" after or below the name as far as I can see.
 

Attached Image(s)

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS SITE?
 
http://www.web-birds.com/12th/17/17.htm
 
If you haven't already, google "17th BG" and "432nd BS".  There is a ton of info out there that should help you piece it together.

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

wow, that was quick. Thanks for the info deefeater! that's great.

I've googled the group and all several times, but I had no idea who any of his crew members were or the name of any of the aircraft he piloted. According to my grandmother, no one from his crew sent anything to Turner publishing for the 17thBG book and she did not know much about the specifics. All we knew was that he had been shot down three times, one of them was definitely the belly landing outside of Dijon. Apparently, as your information shows, some of the group did not drop that day and I remember my g/m telling me that one of the awards that he got was for this landing without detonating any of the payload. I can't for the life of me remember if he had ever said anything about the others.

That's great though, I'm impressed. I guess you just have to know where to look!

I remember something about North Africa, but there's nothing on the 17th site about it. They may have gone there for something else or not have been based there.

Nice to hear that we got a "hit" here! I was not sure of the bomb load your grandfather had on board when bellying in at Dijon/Longvic, but there is another photo of his plane in a book I have which mentions this. The attached photo shows the plane after engines have been removed etc, the other photo is taken earlier. I do not have the 17th BG book you mentions, but is aware of it.  If you e-mail me from AAF.com, I'll send you some more 432nd BG stuff, and an address you can use for further research.  I have photo-scans of several 432nd BG Marauders that were in operation when your grandfather was in service there + some from Dijon. These might be of interest to you.
Have added photo of B/N 80 which was in service with 432nd BS from March 1944 until end of war.  Regarding North Africa: 17th BG came early to that part of the world, as you might know all the Doolittle Raiders were from 17th BG.
They were based at Telergma, Algeria from December 1943 until May 1943, then they moved to Sedrata, Algeria for May-June 1943, after that Djedeida, Tunisia until November 1943. In November they moved to Villacidro, Sardinia where they stayed to September 1944, then Poretta, Corsica from September to November 1944, and last base was Dijon, France from November 1944 until June 1945.

Attached Image(s)

I found this also after you located one of the aircraft serial numbers: This shows the name of the a/c as Janet II in 1943...kinda confusing there?

Title Ronald S. Macklin Collection (10585)
Physical Not Applicable
Estimated d 1943
Synopsis 1. Typed sheets of History of the 34th Bomb Squadron. 2. Typed sheets of history of 17th Bombardment Group. 3. "Veteran Bomber Group Complete 300th Mission" typescript of 17th Bomb Group press release. 4. partial packet of orders from 1942 covering overseas movement of 17th Bomb Group. Contains marginalia. 5. American Battle Monuments Commission, North African American Cemetery Carthage, Tunisia: Roster of War Dead and Names of the Missing, 17th Bomb Group, U.S. Air Corp. June, 1980. 6. PHOTOGRAPHS: - "Coughin' Coffin" 1943 with Wilson, Krasnik, Marsiano, Schloesser, Moore (Photo from Samuel G. Wilson) - 34th Squadron Marauder in formation on return from Italy to Tunisia over coast. - plane 117847, 17th BG 34th Squadron taken 1943 at Telergma. - 1942 photo at Barksdale of Derwacter, Veach, Ward, Wilkerson, Hurley, Genung, Macklin, Linden. - 34th Squadron at Linz, Austria 1945 David Bencie standing on tail of JU52. - clipping of Doolittle and crew prior to mission. - photo 17852 crashed at Sedrata, Algeria, 1943. - photo of Lt. Col. S.V. Collins at 17th BG reunion, Phoenix, 1984. - postcard, 135177 "Uden Uden's Oil Burner". - photo "Yo-Yo Champ" - group photo, Dijon, 1945 Vench, Menold, Genung, Huff, Wycuff, Martin. - group photo: Richter with unknown crew. - "The Chief" with crew Eventsbusch, Sanders, Klein, Hinson, Hart. - "So Sorry" 117779 1943 at Telergma. - "Uncle Sam's Peace Terms" crashed 1943. - "Kazarai II" with crew 1944. - "Janet II" 1943 at Djedeida, 432nd Squadron, 41-35141. - "Fryjack Airlines" 37th Squadron, Egypt, with pilot Richter. - photo communications department, 95th Squadron, Sardinia. - - Photo: Horn, Roseman, Webb, Tupper, Summers, Fineman of 34th Squadron. - postcard of crashed Marauder of 319th BG at Telergma 1943.
Donor Ronald S. Macklin/ 17th Bomb Group Association
Box # MAR 33


found this also. http://www.markstyling.com/b26s.01.htm http://www.b-26mhs.org/content/view/587/134/


maybe some sites have her listed as "sanette" it sure looks like an "S" in the photo....

I understand you have been at the University of Akron, Ohio, and found the name "Janet II" with serial 41-35141. According to the info I have this Marauder might also have been named "Janette", it had B/N 83 and was in service until May 1944, being replaced by B/N 83 42-107724 "Janette".  Will have to check these names further, but do not be confused. The photo of your grandfather's Marauder indicates name "Janette" and not "Janette II". Let's wait and see what comes up here. Have added a photo of "Janet II", might be the one you found at the collection.  Regarding Mark Styling's picture of B/N 83, will contact him as soon we have a confirmation about the name "Janette".  Agree with the similarity to "S" here....but in my list from 17th BG it says JANETTE.

Attached Image(s)

Some websites you may want to try:
 
www.archives.gov (I was instantly able to get my grandfathers enlistment record as well as his POW record)
www.pimaair.org  (This will take you to the Pima Air and Space Museum site.  I was able to contact them and someone did research for me and sent me information and it's all for a small donation)
 
My grandfather was a member of the 376th.  I'm not sure for what groups Pima has records but it's worth a try.
 
Good luck.
 

Jennifer

That second link has some donor information with the same photo you had found already. They may be some crew or someone that knew them. As enjoyable as this searching has been I have to go to work...
I know less about my other grandfather...I'm waiting for his records to do some searching, my uncle has them.

deefeater you're quite resourceful and a great help! thanks a bunch...

if mark stylings drawing is correct, the tail number was 2107724 the 724 matches the photo...

Howdy folks,
My great uncle was also stationed at Longvic with the 17th.
His name was Lloyd S. Gauthier and he was the top turred gunner on his B-26 bomber "YO-YO Champ".
He and the rest of the crew of "YO-YO Champ" were shot down by an ME-262 on April 24th 1945.
There is a GREAT book titled "The Thunderbird Goes to War". This book can be a little tough to find but it is an excelent reference guide for what happened at Longvic during the war.
 
 
Also... I am in search of anyone who has information and pictures of "YO-YO Champ" and her crew AND most importantly any contact information on A.J. Woods. My research has not turned up weather or not he is still alive... His name is NOT in the M.A.C.R. or the list of the dead on the last flight.
 
Thank you all for any help you can provide!

ABMC lists:
 





Lloyd S. Gauthier


Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # 38267284
34th Bomber Squadron, 17th Bomber Group, Medium

Entered the Service from: Louisiana
Died: 24-Apr-45
Buried at: Plot K Row 33 Grave 14
Lorraine American Cemetery
St. Avold, France

Awards: Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters
 
Terry T.

Chris -  Try  www.b-26marauderarchive.org
Mike

"YO-YO CHAMP" was with 17th BG 34th BS for a very short period as B/N 20. Came into service at Dijon medio March 1945. This was a former 344th BG 497th BS Marauder, serial 42-95787. The book you refers to has serial 42-95786 on page 188, but the 34th BS records have serial 42-95987.

Go here for more + photos of "YO-YO CHAMP":http://forum.armyairforces.com/m_80220/tm.htm

The color photo of Lt. A. J.Wood in left seat is from 344th BG service period. The book "Battle Over Bavaria" referred to in the post referred above has some photos of 17th BG crew, but not the crew that was shot down on April 24th 1945.
The Wood- photo is on page 53 in Freeman's book "The Ninth Air Force in Colour". Hope this will help you further!