B-17 42-39972 OUR BUDDY

“OUR BUDDY” FROM FACTORY TO END
#42-39972, was a Boeing B-17G-10-VE built by Lockheed-Vega under license by Boeing at Lockheed-
Vega’s Burbank, California, plant. It rolled off the assembly line on October 22, 1943. This olive drab
bomber arrived at Walla Walla, Washington, on November 9, 1943 to begin the road to combat
deployment with the 730th Bomb Squadron of the 452nd Bomb Group.
This B-17 was officially accepted into the USAAF inventory on January 17, 1944. She was named “Our
Buddy” by the crew in appreciation of the escort fighters (“Little Friends”) which defended the bombers
from enemy aircraft. On the right side of the ship’s nose, adjacent to the number three engine, was
artistically applied “Our Buddy” with a P-47C fighter plane underneath pointing toward the bomber’s tail.
The left side of her nose, adjacent to the number two engine, was recorded the number of bombing
missions the bomber had made. A bomb was painted after each mission . “Our Buddy” served with the
728th and 730th Bomb Squadrons of the 452nd Bomb Group at the Deopham Green Airbase, Norfolk,
England, Station No. 142.
Her service life ended on December 31, 1944 as a result of enemy fighter attacks while on a mission to
Hamburg, Germany. The plane went down after the Rally Point at 12:06 hours. 3 chutes were seen, but
one of them was on fire. The B-17 was last seen at coordinates 53*17'N, 09*50'E, heading at 230 degrees.
It crashed at Rotenburg, Germany. Five crewmen were killed and four were taken as prisoners of war. Lt
Hill was wounded. “Our Buddy” ceased to exist.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

"Our Buddy" appears to have been with both the 728th BS as "F" and with the 730th BS as "F+". "F" was
the individual aircraft letter for "Our Buddy".

1LT	JACK R MONEY	PILOT	KIA	27 MISSIONS
2LT	ROBERT N NAUDORFER	CO-PILOT	POW	27 MISSIONS
2LT	JOSEPH J HILL	NAVIGATOR	POW	28 MISSIONS
2LT	FRANK W JONES	BOMBARDIER	POW	21 MISSIONS
TSGT	FRANK E MACHEN	RADIOMAN	KIA	21 MISSIONS
SSGT	DONALD L LESTER	BT GUNNER	KIA	14 MISSIONS
TSGT	CLYDE E BELLEFUIELLE	ENGINEER	POW	27 MISSIONS
SSGT	GRADY F MILLER	TAIL GUNNER	KIA	13 MISSIONS
SSGT	GERALD A STIMNEL	W GUNNER	KIA	14 MISSIONS

"Our Buddy" flying through flak on Feb. 24, 1944. On that mission, Posen, Poland
was their primary target but the undercast prevented bombing so they hit
Rostock,their secondary target. On the way back they had a running battle
lasting one hour and fifteen minutes with three FW 190's, two JU 88's, and four
ME 110's. They made it home okay, but "Our Buddy" suffered battle damage and
had to be repaired.

Standing left to right:
S/Sgt. Placido B. Andrade    Top Turret Gunner
Sgt. William G. Milsap           Left Waist Gunner
Sgt. Ben T. Beall                    Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Ed H. Sullivan              Radio Operator
Sgt. Robert H. Norfleet         Tail Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. F. W. Stoldt                  Ball Turret Gunner

Kneeling left to right:
2nd Lt. Ed H. Plank                     Navigator
2nd Lt. Norman R. Moore          Pilot
Flight Officer Pete A. Rosko     Bombardier
2nd Lt. Tom R. Dickerson          Co-Pilot