401st Bomb Group (H) Association
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Page Revision: 2023/11/07 21:41


Posted:
By: Capt. Brandon D. Bebow
On: 07/06/2001
I am trying to track down the "Mary Alice" crew because I have got a replica A-2 Jacket with the "Mary Alice" and a 1941 original Bug Bunny holding a bomb and he is saying, "Let go, Doc" and it has got one arrow pointing towards Berlin and the other arrow pointing to Japan and at the bottom of the jacket these word were printed Gnatzi-Knight and was trying to track down the "Mary Alice" crew so that I could meet each one of that crew and hear story of there experiences and the fun they had(WHEN THEY WERE NOT FLYING ON A MISSION)while they were stationed at Deerethornp, England.  If anyone know of this crew please leave me a message at my e-mail address.

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Donald Byers
On: 07/07/2001
Mary Alice was with the 615th Bomber Squadron of the 401st Bomb Group. 42-31983 B-17 nose art directory indicates a picture of this plane and possible crew is with the national archives.

Stillpix@arch2.nara.gov  e-mail.

Send the name of the aircraft and unit/squadron.
Send your home mailing address as they will send a paper copy of the picture and then you can get an actual photo from the original negative (5x7 apox $28.00) if you want.

Contac George Menzel who might be able to help with the names to wright.

Don Byers
Lubbock Texas

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: l.a.mitchell
On: 07/13/2001

  Dan Knight, pilot of the "Mary Alice" B-17, lives at 3110 S.Osceola Ave. Orlando, FL 32806

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: George K. Cracraft
On: 11/06/2001
I was the third Pilot assigned to fly Mary Alice for my 35 missions between October 1944 and   April 1945.
I have a news clipping of each of my 35 flights, most of which were in Mary Alice)

  One surviving member of my crew is:
Robert Jacquart  (our engineer)
619 Sutherland
Ironwood, Michigan

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Jeannie Cracraft Turley
On: 11/07/2001
My father, Judge George Knox Cracraft, did not give his address: 13314 Pompano Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas. My mother has a wonderful scrapbook of all of Mary Alice's missions, as well as my dad's war diary. It is a wonderful story of a magnificent flying machine, and the well trained crews who flew her. He would be thrilled to be contacted.

Judge Cracraft actually got to fly on a B-17 a few years ago. He said he felt he could still fly her!!

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: J. Cracraft Turley
On: 09/20/2003
Judge George Cracraft has moved to 1421 North University Avenue N125, Little Rock AR 72207.

My mother kept a scrapbook of all his missions. It's a wonderful historical tool which needs to be recorded for the war museum.

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: theresa vode
On: 09/22/2003
my father was william mackowiak i believe he flew in a mary alice or danny kaye plane, he was a ball turret gunner

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: George Cracraft
On: 09/28/2003
Your father was ball turretoperator  on CaptainDan Knights crew that flew Mary Alice" to England in February 1944
I  was the third pilot to fly  her for 35 missions. I did not know your father as I came in as a replacement after he left, but have a book in which he is mentioned for an act of extreme loyalty and bravery.(and it has a  
photograph of him).
  The book is by Roger Freeman "B-17 Fortress at War" and the article is "The Saga of Mary Alice"
  If you have not seen the article, I would be glad to photocopy it and his picture and  send it to you.
  George Cracraft, 1421d N. University (N125) Little Rock, Ark. 72201

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Jeannie Turley
On: 09/29/2003
Theresa, check out the 401st crew list. Your father is mentioned here, and you can read about his missions.
http://www.401bg.com/history/crew.asp?cid=13191
Good luck!

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: theresa vode (mackowiak0
On: 08/10/2004
My father William Mackowiak painted the jackets and the plane. could you please e-mail me i would love to see a picture of the jacket.my dad was the ball turret gunner. Thank you, Theresa Vode

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: theresa vode (mackowiak0
On: 09/01/2004
My father william painted the jacket's. George Cracraft will tekk all about this. I would love to have a picture of the jacket. please e-mail me. Thank You, Theresa

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: theresa vode (mackowiak0
On: 09/02/2004
Please e-mail me. My father William Mackowiak painted those jackets. He used chocolate milk powder to make the bunny brown. He also painted the plane. My sister is named after the plane, and the planes name is after Capt. Dan Knight's mother, and my brother is named after him.My father was a ball turret gunner.Thank you, Theresa Vode

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Linda (Huegin) McCabe
On: 12/05/2004
My father, Bill Huegin, flew on the "Mary Alice" as Dan Knight's co-pilot.  His missions were March 9, 1944 thru June 25, 1944 (28 missions).  I am trying to find out his last two missions as Dan Knight finished his 30 missions on June 25th and does not recall.  I am sure your father was on all missions with them.  We had no details of my father's time in England until very recently.  He was killed in a car accident when I was a young girl. I found out about this last spring when a friend of Dan Knight's contacted my family.  It is a long, wonderful story--too much for E-mail.  I do have ORIGINAL photos of the "Mary Alice" and also the crew.  I am looking at your father now, and they are wearing those jackets.  I do not have a scanner to send the crew photo but will work on it and am willing to mail it to you or to someone at The 401st Forum if they would like to post it. I would love to hear from you.  Linda

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: theresa vode (mackowiak0
On: 01/19/2005
my father painted those jackets and the plane Mary Alice which was named after the pilot Dan Knight. I would love to see the jacket, where did you get it?

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Theresa Mackowiak
On: 10/26/2005
My father William Mackowiak painted those jacket's also the plane "Mary Alice" Please reply, I have never seen the jacket. Thank You, Theresa

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: TheresaVode
On: 11/17/2005
Please e-mail me tessgaga@yahoo.com my Dad painted the jacket.

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Mary Alice Mackowiak
On: 04/17/2006
My father William E. Mackowiak painted that on them jackets. he was with Dan Knight's crew, he was the ball turnner gunner. and he also names me after the plane. Mary Alice Parson nee Mackowiak

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: D.A. Cope
On: 12/11/2006
My name is Dan Cope. My father was Fred Cope. A tail gunner on the "Mary Alice" With Capt. Dan Knights crew. I only have a few pictures. He passed away two years ago. He wouldn't talk much about the war. His jacket gone years ago, according to my mother, it was stolen before he returned to the U.S. I would like to know where yo u acquired the replica jacket. I would appreciate any information you could provide.Thank You
     D.A. Cope

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Jeannie Turley
On: 09/06/2008
George Cracraft is still interested in discussing the "Mary Alice". His e-mail is geo.cracraft@sbcglobal.net and snail mail address has changed to: 3 Shepherd's Cove #222, Little Rock, AR 72205. He did give his oral history to AETN, What an incredible flying machine being shot up every time they flew over Germany, and still make it home on a wing and a prayer to England.

Re: Trying to track down the "Mary Alice" 's flight and ground crews

Posted:
By: Theresa Vode ( Mackowiak)
On: 08/30/2009
Help, I lost all info & pic's re- Mary Alice Computer crash. E-Mail vode1560@comcast.net