Trying to Find Info on a B-17

[ffuries]

Our operations complex is named in honor of Lt. Robert E, Femoyer a MOH recipient. We have his MOH on display in the squadron along with copies of his citation and the letter from the War Department to his family that he had been killed in action.

I have looked myself blind on the internet looking for information on the aircraft which he was the navigator on. All I can find is that it was a B-17G, L for Love. I would like to build a model of this plane if I can get the tail number and name of it, if it was named. I have looked on the 447 BG site with no luck. I figured with the wealth on knowledge and resources on this site, some one here might be able to find something for me. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

447 BG
4 CBW
711 BS

Rattlesden, UK
24 December 1943
B-17

Square K
Squadron code was IR
Aircraft code was L for Love


His citation is as follows.

*FEMOYER, ROBERT E.
(Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 711th Bombing Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Corps. Place and date: Over Merseburg, Germany, 2 November 1944. Entered service at: Jacksonville, Fla. Born: 31 October 1921, Huntington, W. Va. G.O. No.: 35, 9 May 1945.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Merseburg, Germany, on 2 November 1944. While on a mission, the bomber, of which 2d Lt. Femoyer was the navigator, was struck by 3 enemy antiaircraft shells. The plane suffered serious damage and 2d Lt. Femoyer was severely wounded in the side and back by shell fragments which penetrated his body. In spite of extreme pain and great loss of blood he refused an offered injection of morphine. He was determined to keep his mental faculties clear in order that he might direct his plane out of danger and so save his comrades. Not being able to arise from the floor, he asked to be propped up in order to enable him to see his charts and instruments. He successfully directed the navigation of his lone bomber for 2 1/2 hours so well it avoided enemy flak and returned to the field without further damage. Only when the plane had arrived in the safe area over the English Channel did he feel that he had accomplished his objective; then, and only then, he permitted an injection of a sedative. He died shortly after being removed from the plane. The heroism and self-sacrifice of 2d Lt. Femoyer are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.



Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"

[bipe215]

Mike,

The 'B-17 Nose Art Directory' lists L-Love but no number. Since the 447th site doesn't list L-Love under its list of names I looked up all un-named B-17's but couldn't match them to the Merseburg mission. You said that you wanted the number and the name for a model; L-Love is the name.
Sorry I can't help more but I did find this:
http://www.afa.org/magazine/valor/0585valor.asp

You might want to try armyairforces.com

Steve G

[mike furline]

Hi Mike,

After looking at the 447th Webpage, I think the best bet is 43-37936, possibly "Bonnie Babie". In Roger Freeman's book "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story" he lists 43-37936, but without a name. ???

This A/C was ditched on 11/2/44, pilot Lt. Tetrault, 9 RTD (Return To Duty). Was there a 10th man that didn't RTD (Femoyer)?

If you pull up the "Missions" page and click "Operational Charts of the 447th BG" you will get a pdf file.

http://www.447bg.com/data/OpCharts.pdf

Go to Mission 169 (page 7), Merseburg 11-2-44, if you read the notes you will see four a/c lost on that mission, two from the 711BS, ship 571 & 634.
Ship 571 is 44-6571, mid-air, lost over target. Click on MACR for that a/c and you see it collided with ship 44-6511. Ship 511 crash lands in Holland.

http://www.447bg.com/library/docs/b0559-0247.jpg

I couldn't find any ship 634 on the 447th webpage, maybe an error in the original file notes (pdf file).

You will also see a note Lt. Tetrault ditched all crew rescued. Was Femoyer recovered and later died?

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-a-f.html

Regards,
Mike

[ffuries]

I thought the L-Love was referring to the aircraft's call letter. Meaning I thought the aircraft was coded IR-L. IR for 711th BG and L for the last letter. I have seen the L-Love mentioned that way on other aircraft in other squadrons. Such as B-17G-92826-R 43-38220 DF-L Love named "Lady Lois"


Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"

[ffuries]

Mike

The aircraft recovered in the UK after the mission at their homebase, Lt. Femoyer died shortly after being removed from the aircraft. I thought of the MACR also, but since the AC didn't go down. Figured that wouldn't work.


Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"

[mike furline]

I'm not sure how accurate the 447th webpage is, but what I did was go thru all B-17's assigned to the 711th and all B-17's with unknown squadron assignments or unknown call letters.
I then weeded out a/c that were shotdown or salvaged before 11-2-44 or a/c assigned to the BG after 11-2-44. I then looked for a/c salvaged after 11-2-44 (hit by 3 flak shells?). I'm was guessing on alot of damage.
Not many left that would fit.

All the 711th a/c listed with "L" code on webpage don't fit the time line.
Maybe he was on another a/c at the time of incident. They did fill in for other crews from time to time.

Any idea who the pilot was?

"L" is referring to the call letter.

Regards,
Mike

[ffuries]

Looks like years after my initial post I have an ID for the aircraft he was on.

A site dedicated to busting military posers, Valorguardians, does a Valor Friday story and Lt. Femoyer was the topic today, and his aircraft is listed along with its name and nose art. I was floored, I had given up on ever figuring it out, and there in the story is all I had seeked.

It is or was a Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-25-DL, 42-38052, "Lucky Stehley Boy” (Aircraft doesn't show up under Joe Baughers site). The aircraft was later involved in a landing accident, repaired returned to service and survived the war, only to be scrapped. There are two additional pictures on the link, showing the landing accident, coming in with only one main gear down, and a shot of it after the landing.

The veteran bomber was flown back to the United States and on 15 August 1945, arrived at the reclamation center at Kingman, Arizona. It was scrapped 8 November 1945, after less than two years of service. 42-38052 was a replacement aircraft and was flown by several crews. It carried the names El Mal Centavo (“The Bad Penny”) and Lucky Stehley Boy.

A Google search turns up so much more information now, than when I started this search 13 years ago back in 2008.

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=1178 ... nt-3390048

Added note: 42-38050 one of the birds on the assembly line with her was the original "Thunderbird".

Attachments

42-38052-Lucky-Stehley-Boy.jpeg.jpg (20.79 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

Last edited by ffuries on Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:53 pm, edited 4 times in total.

[ffuries]

More information shows it was painted and marked as follows.

The B-17G was camouflaged with the standard U.S.A.A.F. olive drab sides and upper surfaces, with neutral gray underneath. The vertical fin and wing tips were painted yellow and two vertical green stripes circled the aft fuselage. The four engine cowlings were painted blue, and a blue chevron was painted on the top of the right wing, indicating that this B-17 belonged to the 711th Bomb Squadron. The 447th’s group identification, a white letter “K” surrounded by a black square, was painted on the upper portion of the fin. Below this was its abbreviated serial number, “238052.” A black capital “L”, identifying the individual airplane, was painted at the bottom of the fin.

[bipe215]

That’s awesome you found that after all these years. Still going to build that model?

Steve

[ffuries]

That’s awesome you found that after all these years. Still going to build that model?

Steve

To be honest, I don't really know. My original intent was to have it displayed at the Unit above his MoH display. Don't know where his display is now. I'm retired now and the dynamics of the Unit has changed a lot since then.

Maybe I'll build it and display in the man cave, along with all my militaria from over the years.

Last edited by ffuries on Sun Sep 26, 2021 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Adam Kline]

Still a great story. Thanks for the follow up.