"Priority Gal" - we hardly knew ya ...

[Chicoartist]

Seattle-built B-17G-45-BO, Priority Gal
91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron
Bassingbourn

Tail number 297304, OR-C code

17 Feb 44 - Accepted into inventory

21 March 44 - Arrived overseas

1 April 44 - Gained by 91st BG

8 April 44 - Her first mission (Oldenburg; Lt. Riser crew)

11 April 44 - First of 22 missions with Lt. Pryor crew (including three trips to Berlin). Lt. Pryor named the new 'silver' ship ... Pryor ... Priority Gal ... get it?. Succession of crews flew her after that, until ...

Mid-July 44 - Lt. Henry Supchak crew become "owners" of P. G. Supchak crew flies 8 missions in her until ...

31 July 44 - (50th mission for the 'Gal). Ship failed to return from Munich marshalling yards mission (a tough target). 9 POW, 0 KIA for Supchak crew. MACR #7806.

Loss Event: Over the target she took flak in nos. 1 and 2 engines and started trailing black smoke. Supchak feathered no. 1, but it continued to windmill, causing excessive drag. Priority Gal lagged behind the group. Two other Forts dropped back to help provide mutual protection, but eventually they were called back, and the 'Gal was left on her own. At 1310 hrs Supchak reported over VHF that two engines were out and he was turning for Switzerland. She was last seen as a speck in the sky heading south. She is thought to have gone down after fighter attacks around Neustift, Austria during her journey to internment. All crew survived in German POW camps.


The Supchak crew poses with their new ship and her ground crew. Of note is the Neutral Gray chin turret. A common feature of the early 'silver' Forts.



Wade

[Jack Cook]

Good shot Wade...............
I've always like this one!

Lt Hanna and crew 91st BG
2 more favs are Qualified Quail and Times-A-Wastin

[Chicoartist]

. . . Lt Hanna and crew 91st BG

Great shot as always, Jack.

The LIBERTY - RUN, serial 42-2102509, was with the 401st BS (LL-A), and went down (flak) after only three months of ops about a week and a half before Priority Gal ... 20 July 44. Lt. Arthur Hultin crew (10 POWs). MACR #7274.

Wade

[Jack Cook]

I like it when they all get out.
Of my cousin's crew only the right waist gunner got out

[ChristopherAnn]

Jack, I "always liked that one, too."

Since that's my daddy's plane and crew.

He's 90 now, and I'm sure he's pleased you like the photo.

Chris Hanna

Last edited by ChristopherAnn on Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Dan Johnson II]

OK I'll play. No name on the bird, but members of the Ashley Guynn crew after a mission in February 1944. They sure look tired. They were part of the 447th BG and went down April 27, 1944 to flak. 3 killed, including Ash Guynn and 7 POW.

[whistlingdeath77]

very nice

[the330thbg]

very nice

[fenster45]

.