Looking for info on this Aircraft 42-3347, I've got a bit of info so far which is very interesting and intriguing . Interested in the aircrafts roll on the Second Schwienfurt Raid 14/10/1943 ....Pilot Emery R Chesmore. Regards Steve
Any chance you could let us know what you have so far? - it will stop us all telling you stuff you already know and save us some searching time.
Ok Here goes : A B17 Aircraft that crashed in Lapworth, Warwickshire,England with no crew on board that was probably on the Schweinfurt Raid crashed 14/10/1943 crew bailed out approx 140 miles from resting place aircraft from eye witness's suggest a surface crash and the aircraft apart from a damage wing was in one piece,so possibly salvageable!!!.. Roger Freeman Book states 42-3347 Salvaged 14/10/43 Aircraft Log reads : On 14 October 1943, 42-3347, Charlene, went on a mission to bomb Schweinfurt. When it was so badly damaged that the crew thought it could not land safely, the crew apparently bailed out and Charlene crashed, as you related. The full crew was: Pilot-Emery R. Chesmore, 2nd Lt. Co-Pilot-John Chesnut, Jr., 2nd Lt. Navigator-Arthur J. Leady, 2nd Lt. Bombrdier-John V. Matthews, 2nd Lt. Top Turret Gunner/Engineer-Vincenzo Viealvi, T/Sgt. Radio Operator-Cerney Lett, S/Sgt. Batt Turret Gunner-James F. Simpson, S/Sgt. Tail Gunner-Earl C. Fahl, S/Sgt. Waist Gunner,Left-James E. F. Collins, S/Sgt. Waist Gunner, Right-Nicholas Popadya, S/Sgt. I have a 20 page narrative of the mission, but it tells nothing of the crash of Charlene, only that this crew was with the 96th Bomb Group, but led the 385th on this mission. The 385th record states that 42-3347 was loaned to the 96 Bomb Group for this mission. I believe this is the reason: The new H2X radar, called "Mickey" had just been developed for bombing through cloudes. Only a few B-17's were so equipped at this time. (Later many were.) Only a few Bomb Groups had Bombardiers and crew trained in its use. Probably the only 385th BG B-17 equipped with Mickey was 42-3347, but on this mission needed a trained crew. Later, when I flew my missions, the 385th used its own crews that had been trained in Mickey use. The combat record of 42-3347, attached, shows that it flew missions AFTER 14 Oct 43 !! It is not clear how this happened. Perhaps it wasn't so badly damaged that it could not be repaired. Such things did happen. Or perhaps, the pilot, alone, stayed on board to try for a crash-landing in an attempt to save the aircraft. (And he may have!) If you find anything more, please let me know. -Bill Varnedoe This is a list of missions flown by "Charlene" Interesting the 2 months after the 14th October without a mission!!!! Name Pos M Date Target Crew B-17 Name Bates, Earl R. B 8 12-Aug-43 Bonn Hutchison 42-3347 Charlene Curtis, Charles G. CP 8 12-Aug-43 Bonn Huchison 42-3347 Charlene Epps, John E. N 8 12-Aug-43 Bonn Hutchison 42-3347 Charlene Hutchison, John N. P 8 12-Aug-43 Bonn Hutchison 42-3347 Charlene Lucey, John R. RO 8 12-Aug-43 Bonn Hutchison 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 9 15-Aug-43 Vitryen-Artois Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 9 15-Aug-43 Vitryen-Artois Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Hoagland, William H. CP 9 15-Aug-43 Vitryen-Artois Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Albert, Frederick D. N 10 17-Aug-43 Regensberg Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Betow, Thomas H. B 10 17-Aug-43 Regensberg Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Day, Stewart H. G 10 17-Aug-43 Regensberg Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Kleuser, Theodore J. CP 10 17-Aug-43 Regensberg Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Levine, Arnold O 10 17-Aug-43 Regensberg Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Albert, Frederick D. N 13 24-Aug-43 Bordeaux (return) Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Betow, Thomas H. B 13 24-Aug-43 Bordeaux (return) Weikert 42-3347 Charlene DeGraw, Leo N. G 13 24-Aug-43 Bordeaux (return) Weikert 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 15 06-Sep-43 Dieppe Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 15 06-Sep-43 Dieppe Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 18 15-Sep-43 Paris Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 18 15-Sep-43 Paris Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 19 16-Sep-43 Cagnac Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 19 16-Sep-43 Cagnac Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 20 23-Sep-43 Kerlin Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Bobulski, Peter, Jr. G 21 26-Sep-43 Rheime Champage Cerrone 42-3347 Charlene Corgnatti, M Filip G 21 26-Sep-43 Rheime Champage Cerrone 42-3347 Charlene Edgins, Harry R. G 21 26-Sep-43 Rheime Champage Cerrone 42-3347 Charlene Flagler, William F. CP 21 26-Sep-43 Rheime Champage Cerrone 42-3347 Charlene Kelley, John H.. RO 21 26-Sep-43 Rheime Champage Cerrone 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 23 02-Oct-43 Emden Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 24 04-Oct-43 St. Pizier Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 25 08-Oct-43 Bremen Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 25 08-Oct-43 Bremen Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 26 09-Oct-43 Marienberg Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 26 09-Oct-43 Marienberg Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Allder, Melvin I. G 27 10-Oct-43 Munster Robinson 42-3347 Charlene Amato, Albert J. B 27 10-Oct-43 Munster Robinson 42-3347 Charlene 96 BG crew All 28 14-Oct-43 Scheinfurt Chesmore 42-3347 Charlene Kaplan, Bernard N 42 13-Dec-43 Kiel Palmer 42-3347 Charlene Love, Stewart M. WGR 42 13-Dec-43 Kiel Palmer 42-3347 Charlene Loveland, Elmore S. TG 42 13-Dec-43 Kiel Palmer 42-3347 Charlene Allez, Fred W. RO 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Bailey, E. D. P 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Bresher, M. W. WGL 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Coble, D. F. WGR 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Corbin, Wayne D. CP 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Gillis, Melvin D. BTG 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Hess, Malcolm TG 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene Lyteck, C. TTG 51 07-Jan-44 Ludigshofen Bailey 42-3347 Charlene This is another email received from Geoff Ward 96th BG historian he 96th Bomb Group lead the 3rd BD on the 14-10-43 Schweinfurt mission. It was required to dispatch a double strength Group, which totalled 41 aircraft. This I believe was the only group to do so for that mission. It was in September 43 that the group had doubled its compliment of aircraft. It is stated that to enable the Group to dispatch 41 aircraft it had to borrow spares from other Groups in the 3rd BD. There were 2 from the 385thBG, 4 from the 94thBG. (347 was from the 385th) Lt Emery Chesmore and his crew were from the 338th Squadron, 96th BG and the were eventually MIA on Dec 13th 1943 - all POW. All the borrowed aircraft flew in the low Squadron the the 96th B Group with one 96th aircraft, 42-30180, leading. The group were attacked by enemy fighters over France on their return and it appears that 347 suffered extensive battle damage in these attacks. Chesmore decided that rather than risk trying to land the badly damaged aircraft, the crew would bale out and abandon it. I do not know exactly where the crew bailed out, but presumably it was somewhere near to Snetterton in Norfolk and it is amazing that 347 flew so far before crashing in Warwickshire. It was not a good mission for the 96th, they lost 7 aircraft, which was almost half the total 15 lost by the whole of the 3rd BD. Aslo 5 aircraft landed back at other bases in England with battle damage and 2 men were brought back dead and 5 badly wounded. I trust this information may help to answer some of the questions you have on this crash. Sincerely Geoff Ward
MY BROTHER IN-LAW LEO E. DEGRAW AND OTHERS FROM THE MARY PAT WERE ON THE CHARLENE 24AUG43 BETOW. FREDERICK, DEGRAW THE PILOT WAS WEIKERT. THEY WERE ON THE FIGHTIN COCK 5DEC43 WHEN THEY WERE HIT AND DITCHED IN THE BAY OF BISCAY FRANCE. 7 KIA/MIA 3 POWs 910-270-0785 E-MAIL HODSHON1@AOL.COM
To the historical buffs if this plane flew on and crashed in a field in lapworth what type of B-17 was it ? And when found why wasn’t tail number given to the police who would had given it to the 8th army or traced it to the unit it came from and if in Records in Library why wasn’t this given to the 8th airforce. If the police gave the map ref then why not the A/c? Both are significant.
