Wonderful A-2 Lost B-17 42-97174 'JOANNE' 534th BS, 381st BG, 8th AF

ARTIFACT: Wonderful A-2 from lost B-17 42-97174 "JOANNE" 534th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. The 381st Bomb Group flew the B-17 Flying Fortresses between June 1943 and April 1945. The 381st was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations. One in 1943 for remaining engaged while under heavy attack to bomb shipyards at Bremen, and the second in 1944 was awarded to the entire 1st Bomb Division, for completing a bombing mission with the objective of destroying aircraft factories at Oschersleben, without fighter protection, they also supported the Normandy Invasion.
381st Bomb Group War Diary

The Fortress "e;Joanne"e;, piloted by 1st Lt. John W. Williams flew through a "e;sheet of flames"e; caused by the collision and explosion of two aircraft directly in front of it. The fire almost burned off "e;Joanne's"e; tail, and aileron and both rudders. Williams and his co-pilot 2nd Lt. Paul D. Lear, Jr., had to open their sliding cockpit windows to scrub enough soot from the windshield to permit them to see ahead, but they managed to bring the ship home with its crew unhurt. The tail gunner had bailed out over Germany, evidently unable to stand the heat of the flames.
381st MIA Aircraft

#42-97174 - B-17G 381BG 534BS

NameJOANNE

MIA1944-06-21 - MACR #: 5993

Notes42-97174Delivered: Cheyenne 3/2/44; Nashville 19/2/44; Hunter 23/2/44; Grenier 17/3/44; Assigned: 534BS/381BG [GD-P] Ridgewell 7/4/44; on Berlin mission 24/5/44 Pilot: John Williams was hit by debris from two colliding B-17s which burned off surface fabric of rudders and elevator, Tail Gunner: Jack Ross (POW- bailed out when he thought aircraft was doomed). MIA {12+m} Berlin 21/6/44 w/Roy Pendergist, Co-Pilot: Joe Lawless, Navigator: Bob Harvey, Bombardier: Eloy Heniff, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Malcolm Muir, Radio Operator: Herb Salzseider, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Wilson (7POW); Waist Gunner: Harry Lehman, tg-Byron King (2KIA); flak, crashed Wagnitzer Zootzen forest, 11 miles N of Nauen, Germany. MACR 5993. JOANNE.SourceB-17 Master Log - Dave Osbourne"

The A-2 features a large, painted 534th BS, 381st Bomber Group insignia depicting a red, smoke breathing, winged dragon clutching bombs against a background of yellow. Above the insignia it reads: (NMI) which is the military abbreviation for "No Middle Initial". The reverse of the A-2 features a painted B-17 Fortress, with a swastika above and reads: "JOANNE". The painted B-17 is dropping bombs and the painted details cascade down one side of the jacket, fantastic artwork!

VINTAGE: Circa WWII

SIZE: Approximately Size 40: Measures Armpit to armpit: 21-1/2"; Shoulder to shoulder (across back): 17" Collar to hem: 25"; Shoulder to cuff: 22-1/2"

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Painted leather, wool, silk, steel, grommets

ATTACHMENT: Metal zipper, metal collar hook, snaps under collar

MARKINGS: Inside tag: "TYPE A-2 DWG.NO.30H1415 A.C. CONTRACT ORDER NO. 42-15/42-8(?) PROPERTY AIR FORCE, U.S. ARMY AERO LEATHER CLO. CO. BEACON, N.Y.", "40"

ITEM NOTES: This is from a USAAF collection which we will be listing more of over the coming months. MIJJX15 LCGIEX10/15 SCGIEX6/16

CONDITION: 7+ (Very Fine+): The cuffs have been removed (see photo), the waistband shows heavy wear and separation (see photo), the zipper is in nice working condition, much of the painted details remain intact, overall very fine condition.