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Part of Sumner H. Reeder’s crew with Squawkin Hawk in the fall of 1943. By this time, the aircraft had flown less than a third of her total
missions. This photo was taken when navigator Lt. Engel briefly returned to Thorpe Abbotts while receiving treatment for injuries
sustained on September 6, 1943.
Damage to the tail surfaces during the mission
to Regensburg on February 25, 1944.
Also visible in this photo, Squawkin Hawk displays 44 mission markers.
This photograph, taken in April 1944, portrays what appears to be a gathering of future protagonists
from the Masters of the Air series. Many of them started as inexperienced beginners in the summer
and autumn of 1943, but by spring 1944, they had become seasoned warriors in leadership positions
within the 100th Bombardment Group. Those whose names are marked with an asterisk were depict-
ed as characters in the Masters of the Air series. Left to right: *Captain Douglas (Group Bombardier),
Lieutenant Ken Welty (Navigator, POW on Ruhland mission), *Lieutenant Colonel John Bennett (349th
CO and Air Executive), *Colonel Neil B. “Chick” Harding (Group CO), *Major John B. “Jack” Kidd (351st
CO and Group Operations), *Major Harry Crosby (Group Navigator), *Lieutenant Robert “Rosie” Rosen-
thal (future 350th and 418th BS commander).
On right: In addition to skilled flight crews and fortu-
nate circumstances, Squawkin Hawk owed her suc-
cess in no small part to her dedicated ground crew,
who took great pride in maintaining the aircraft.
B-17F 42-30088 XR
-
D Squawkin‘ Hawk,
Lt. Sumner H. Reeder crew, 349th Bomb Squadron,
100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts, April 1944
Speciál B-17F / The Bloody Hundredth 1943 INFO Eduard
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June 2024