April 13,1944 Mission/Schweinfurt

Posted:
By: Dale A Anderson
On: 01/21/2003

I just got some Info from (AFHSO) the Air Force History Support
Office on one of my Dad's missions. I have been looking for serial#'s of the planes that where on my Dads last mission.
Dad was WIA on the 4/13/44 mission to Scheinfurt. My Dad Carl D
Anderson RO on CL Wilsons crew lost his right leg on this mission. I have always wanted to know which plane they flew that day. Now I know, the AFHSO info says that on this mission
CL Wilson of the 614th sq was piloting a 613th aircraft # 42-107043 Fitch's Bandwagon. The info is very intresting and gives great detail on the mission including somethings about My Dad. The info is multi pages thick and covers all the crews who paticipated. #42-107043 was later rammed on runway
6/2/44 and scraped.

Re: April 13,1944 Mission/Schweinfurt

Posted:
By: J.C.Slongo
On: 04/08/2003

Hello:
     I recently read the posting about your Dad and him flying the B-17 Fitch's Bandwagon.
     He was part of one of the several crews that the plane was loaned out to.This was common practice at the time.Actually,the plane Fitch's Bandwagon had only nine official missions under Lt.Lawrence Fitchets crew from March22nd'44 to June2nd'44.You're right in that the plane was rammed accidently by another B-17(Jill's Jallopy).This plane never made it back.Actually the entire crew are listed as MIA.The plane was shot down by ME109 fighters on a mission over Weimar in August of '44.
          I've recently purchased a beautiful A-2 jacket that once belonged to Ray Hanaburg-waist gunner aboard Fitch's Bandwagon.The jacket has the nine missions painted in yellow bombs with  a small swastika representing the Fw-190 he shot down over the Baltic sea in April of '44.If you have any info on the plane or crew that you wouldn't mind passing on let me know.
                              Sincerely,J.C

Re: April 13,1944 Mission/Schweinfurt

Posted:
By: Ralph Hannabury
On: 08/11/2003

Hello,

My grandfather and I were just reading the 401st Bombing Group website and came across your posting. My grandfather is Ralph A. Hannabury, the waist gunner on Fitch's Bandwagon to which you refer. It was really exciting to hear that after all these years the jacket has been found! We are curious as to where his jacket ended up and where you purchased it from. We never knew what happened to it. We have several photographs of him in it. We have lots of information on the plane and crew that we can share with you. Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,
Alison Fox and Ralph Hannabury