USAAF
13th AF
5th BG
394th BS
Other Unit Assignments
19th BG
435th BS
Aircraft History
Delivered to Lt. Clyde B. Kelsey at Boeing Field on December 1, 1941.
Ferried overseas to Australia arriving at Garbutt Field.
Wartime Service
Participated in the February 22-23, 1942 mission to Rabaul, pilot Harry Speith and co-pilot Lt. Fields. This bomber aborted due to poor weather and being unable to find the target, and returned to Garbutt.
Flew the July 3, 1942 mission when the crew claimed two Zeros south of Salamaua, and two of the crew (waist & bendix turret gunners) were wounded in the battle. Holes were made in the tail and the crew fought off 10 frontal attacks, 5 side attacks and three belly attacks in the 20 minute battle.
Guadalcanal Service
Later, this bomber was transferred to the 435th BS at Cloncurry when it was formed on March 14, 1942. Ditched off Duma Point fuel exhaustion September 24, 1942 (?). Later, transferred to the 13th AF, 5th BG 394th BS on November 14, 1942 with crew chief Roy Davenport. and flew missions from Guadalcanal.
Transfer Back to USA
Declared war wary in 1943, it returned to the US as a trainer. Back in the USA, it was nicknamed "Calamity Jane".
References
Wherefore the REAL 'Swamp Ghost' by Michael Claringbould
B-17
