Some of you may remember the first piece on Dangerous Dan, and some of you may not have even gone back that far and picked that one piece of history from my ramblings two years ago.
But if you do remember, or did check it out, I'd like to write the second part of that story now.
Back during WWII groups like the 379th were scattered all over England and the skies of Europe. What I wrote in that first piece came from the memories of two men. One who happened to see Dangerous Dan get hit and one who had a vested interest in her, it was his plane. By that I mean he was crew chief.
I've not researched beyond what these men told me, mainly because they were actually there. However, I'm always picking up something different, looking through archives and old photos when I can and I found something quite amazing the other day and I still don't really know how to react.
I was going through a box of stuff. A box that hadn't moved in ten years. A box of clippings and photos from an estate. Just stirring around junk on a Saturday looking for something, anything on a green front lawn in North Carolina. A lawn with a big sign that read "Tag Sale".
And what I found amounts to nothing less than remarkable and really shrinks this world another size down and leaves me wondering what to make of it all. Coincidence, fate, some deeper meaning. But enough, this is simply part two...
the story
As I leafed through that box I began to come across things from the war. One yellowed newspaper clipping caught my eye, "Gunner Flies Bomber Home". Fastened to the back by a rusty paper clip was the photo below. Nothing less than the 379th's B-17 #229891, Dangerous Dan.
The article stated that Dangerous Dan was on her first mission to Wilhelmshaven. The pilot and copilot were wounded when a 20mm shell exploded in the cockpit taking them both out of action, the top turret gunner flew her home.
Being a war time article there wasn't anymore detail and it was just a small article, not even front page material. I couldn't tell what paper it came from but it was on page 5.
The article didn't say where Dangerous Dan landed so I guess Suffolk is as good a place as any. From the photo it looks like a farmer's field.
The photo with the first piece is not Dangerous Dan, just another B-17 that shared the same ending, but in the photo I found there is no mistaking the name on that bullet riddled B-17.
As for the crew, they all made it home (at least from that mission) though the pilot and copilot were seriously injured. And there may have been a Lt. Davis, but not on this trip. The pilot was Lt. William T. Jones, and that famous turret gunner was Sgt. Clifford Erickson.
I don't fault the pilot that saw Dangerous Dan get hit and fall from formation for getting it wrong. I'm amazed he remembered that one plane at all, and he was still right about the target and the date. And I don't fault the crew chief either, hell, he only had the plane for one mission. Hardly enough time to get to know the crew, but I could see how the name would stick in his mind. The only one he had for just one mission.
What Dangerous Dan wants with me I don't know.
goodnight 4.7.00
(source)
But if you do remember, or did check it out, I'd like to write the second part of that story now.
Back during WWII groups like the 379th were scattered all over England and the skies of Europe. What I wrote in that first piece came from the memories of two men. One who happened to see Dangerous Dan get hit and one who had a vested interest in her, it was his plane. By that I mean he was crew chief.
I've not researched beyond what these men told me, mainly because they were actually there. However, I'm always picking up something different, looking through archives and old photos when I can and I found something quite amazing the other day and I still don't really know how to react.
I was going through a box of stuff. A box that hadn't moved in ten years. A box of clippings and photos from an estate. Just stirring around junk on a Saturday looking for something, anything on a green front lawn in North Carolina. A lawn with a big sign that read "Tag Sale".
And what I found amounts to nothing less than remarkable and really shrinks this world another size down and leaves me wondering what to make of it all. Coincidence, fate, some deeper meaning. But enough, this is simply part two...
the story
As I leafed through that box I began to come across things from the war. One yellowed newspaper clipping caught my eye, "Gunner Flies Bomber Home". Fastened to the back by a rusty paper clip was the photo below. Nothing less than the 379th's B-17 #229891, Dangerous Dan.
The article stated that Dangerous Dan was on her first mission to Wilhelmshaven. The pilot and copilot were wounded when a 20mm shell exploded in the cockpit taking them both out of action, the top turret gunner flew her home.
Being a war time article there wasn't anymore detail and it was just a small article, not even front page material. I couldn't tell what paper it came from but it was on page 5.
The article didn't say where Dangerous Dan landed so I guess Suffolk is as good a place as any. From the photo it looks like a farmer's field.
The photo with the first piece is not Dangerous Dan, just another B-17 that shared the same ending, but in the photo I found there is no mistaking the name on that bullet riddled B-17.
As for the crew, they all made it home (at least from that mission) though the pilot and copilot were seriously injured. And there may have been a Lt. Davis, but not on this trip. The pilot was Lt. William T. Jones, and that famous turret gunner was Sgt. Clifford Erickson.
I don't fault the pilot that saw Dangerous Dan get hit and fall from formation for getting it wrong. I'm amazed he remembered that one plane at all, and he was still right about the target and the date. And I don't fault the crew chief either, hell, he only had the plane for one mission. Hardly enough time to get to know the crew, but I could see how the name would stick in his mind. The only one he had for just one mission.
What Dangerous Dan wants with me I don't know.
goodnight 4.7.00
(source)
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