43-38982 BACHELOR'S DEN
MACR 13559
MACR 13559
|
CREW ON MARCH 18,1945
MISSION:#224 BERLIN
MISSION:#224 BERLIN
Bachelor’s Den: During the crew’s training at
Dyersburg, and later at Camp Kilmer while waiting for
a boat, they discussed what they should name their
plane. There were a lot of good suggestions and
most included a nude babe. However, they finally
settled on “Bachelor’s Den” because they were all
bachelors and the plane's original pilot, Norb Ostrye,
wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want any more
responsibility for lives like having to write a wife and
let her know any bad news. When they arrived at
Deopham Green they were scheduled to do all their
practice flights flying in old war weary birds, and also
on their first mission as a crew. Ostrye asked Major
Baker if they could be scheduled on a plane they
had already flown and that they thought was in pretty
good shape. He gave them the go ahead and the
enlisted guys on the crew saw to it that the nose art
got painted. One other reason Ostrye wanted that B-
17 was because it was crewed by Sergeant
Gassoway from Texarkana. He had impressed him as
being a real professional. Incidentally, while they
were at Kilmer, the flight engineer, Forrest Hanlon,
snuck off to Washington and got married. He later
told his crew on their way home.
Dyersburg, and later at Camp Kilmer while waiting for
a boat, they discussed what they should name their
plane. There were a lot of good suggestions and
most included a nude babe. However, they finally
settled on “Bachelor’s Den” because they were all
bachelors and the plane's original pilot, Norb Ostrye,
wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want any more
responsibility for lives like having to write a wife and
let her know any bad news. When they arrived at
Deopham Green they were scheduled to do all their
practice flights flying in old war weary birds, and also
on their first mission as a crew. Ostrye asked Major
Baker if they could be scheduled on a plane they
had already flown and that they thought was in pretty
good shape. He gave them the go ahead and the
enlisted guys on the crew saw to it that the nose art
got painted. One other reason Ostrye wanted that B-
17 was because it was crewed by Sergeant
Gassoway from Texarkana. He had impressed him as
being a real professional. Incidentally, while they
were at Kilmer, the flight engineer, Forrest Hanlon,
snuck off to Washington and got married. He later
told his crew on their way home.
On March 18, 1945, A/C 43-38982, Bachelor's Den, hit prop wash and swept upwards right under A/C 43-38879, cutting the
plane in half. Both planes were at approximately 9,000 feet. 43-38879 immediately went down into the English Channel.
Two crew members from Bachelor's Den(Knoerl and Kennemer) bailed out and were seen going down. Two crew
members from the other ship were seen in the water. Two aircraft from the formation, #'s 231 and 560 were ordered to
stay in the area and patrol. One of the planes threw out 10 dinghies and when they left the distress area they reported
seeing one survivor in one of the dinghies. Air Sea Rescue was contacted. Bachelor's Den proceeded back to England,
crash landing at the field in Woodbridge. The following day, March 19, Air Sea Rescue reported that their patrols found
some of the dinghies, but no crew members. Knoerl and Kennemer apparently perished in the Channel.
More information from the 728th Squadron Diary:
On March 18, 1945 one of our pilots exhibited the flying skill and tenacity of purpose which so typifies the fliers in the 8th
Air Force. Lt. Marvin R. Boothe was flying an operational mission on that date. A plane from another element swung in
and collided with his plane. By skillful, evasive action, when he saw the imminence of the collision, he minimized the
impact and his plane apparently suffered little damage. However, he was forced to leave the formation when parts to his
plane began to fall off, results of the collision which had not been seen at once. The nose of the plane fell off, pieces of
metal continued to shower from his plane. Two of his men bailed out. The bombardier(McIntire) and navigator(Knoerl)
had been hurt, so Lt. Boothe decided to try to get the plane and his men back to his base. By skillful flying, though his
plane was actually disintegrating in mid air, Lt. Boothe brought his plane back to England. The plane was in such a
condition that it was salvaged, but the injured men had been brought safely to medical aid. Lt. Boothe, in the modest
manner of all exceptional pilots, thought it was no more than a "rough one".
Note: There are discrepancies in both accounts. 2Lt. Knoerl, in the first version, bailed out. In the second version, he
was still on the plane. He apparently bailed out and died in the English Channel.
43-38982 eventually was returned to Bradly Field, USA. On 11 - 23 - 45 it went to Kingman , Arizona(boneyard) and was
destroyed.
Credit: Edward Hinrichs "Missing Planes of the 452nd Bomb Group"
plane in half. Both planes were at approximately 9,000 feet. 43-38879 immediately went down into the English Channel.
Two crew members from Bachelor's Den(Knoerl and Kennemer) bailed out and were seen going down. Two crew
members from the other ship were seen in the water. Two aircraft from the formation, #'s 231 and 560 were ordered to
stay in the area and patrol. One of the planes threw out 10 dinghies and when they left the distress area they reported
seeing one survivor in one of the dinghies. Air Sea Rescue was contacted. Bachelor's Den proceeded back to England,
crash landing at the field in Woodbridge. The following day, March 19, Air Sea Rescue reported that their patrols found
some of the dinghies, but no crew members. Knoerl and Kennemer apparently perished in the Channel.
More information from the 728th Squadron Diary:
On March 18, 1945 one of our pilots exhibited the flying skill and tenacity of purpose which so typifies the fliers in the 8th
Air Force. Lt. Marvin R. Boothe was flying an operational mission on that date. A plane from another element swung in
and collided with his plane. By skillful, evasive action, when he saw the imminence of the collision, he minimized the
impact and his plane apparently suffered little damage. However, he was forced to leave the formation when parts to his
plane began to fall off, results of the collision which had not been seen at once. The nose of the plane fell off, pieces of
metal continued to shower from his plane. Two of his men bailed out. The bombardier(McIntire) and navigator(Knoerl)
had been hurt, so Lt. Boothe decided to try to get the plane and his men back to his base. By skillful flying, though his
plane was actually disintegrating in mid air, Lt. Boothe brought his plane back to England. The plane was in such a
condition that it was salvaged, but the injured men had been brought safely to medical aid. Lt. Boothe, in the modest
manner of all exceptional pilots, thought it was no more than a "rough one".
Note: There are discrepancies in both accounts. 2Lt. Knoerl, in the first version, bailed out. In the second version, he
was still on the plane. He apparently bailed out and died in the English Channel.
43-38982 eventually was returned to Bradly Field, USA. On 11 - 23 - 45 it went to Kingman , Arizona(boneyard) and was
destroyed.
Credit: Edward Hinrichs "Missing Planes of the 452nd Bomb Group"
