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Dates |
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Event |
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Constructed as a B-17E-BO by Boeing at Seattle, Washington, USA. |
16 March 1942 |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 41-9032.
Accepted by USAAF at Boeing Field, Seattle, WA. |
16 March 1942 |
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To 97th Bomb Group, Sarasota Field, FL. |
13 May 1942 |
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Transferred to Middletown Air Depot, Middletown, PA. |
28 May 1942 |
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Transferred to Grenier Field (Station 16), Manchester, NH. |
29 May 1942 |
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Transferred to Presque Isle Field, ME. |
2 June 1942 |
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Ferry flight.
Ferried Grenier Field, NH, to Mitchel Field, Hempstead, Long Island, NY. |
4 June 1942 |
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Transferred to Sherman Field, Fort Leavenworth, KS. |
5 June 1942 |
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Ferry flight.
Gowen Field, Boise, ID to McChord Field, Tacoma, WA. |
11 June 1942 |
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Ferry flight.
Returned to Grenier Field via Gowen Field, Boise, ID. |
13 June 1942 |
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Transferred to Chanute Field, Rantoul, IL. |
15 June 1942 |
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Transferred to Grenier Field (Station 16), Manchester, NH. |
26 June 1942 |
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Transferred to BOLERO (strategic movement of aircraft to Great Britain).
Operated with markings: MY GAL SAL
[Tactical call sign WR9K]. Named for the crews favorite song. |
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Transferred to North Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command, Presque Isle Field, ME.
Ferried overseas on the North Atlantic route via Goose Bay, Labrador. |
27 June 1942 |
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Crashed.
During ferry flight from Goose Bay, Labrador en route UK, the aircraft became lost in bad weather and low on fuel between Bluie West Eight, Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Iceland. Force landed on an ice cap near Bluie West Eight, Kangerlussuaq, Greenland 27Jun42 (10RMC). The glare of the sun and snow prevented the depth perception needed by the pilot for a safe landing so, a pass over his intended landing spot, he had the crew throw out some baggage. Then, able to see the baggage, the pilot made a crash landing on the ice but the rear fuselage separated and the front fuselage and wings overturned without crew injuries. Unable to run any engines with the propellers dug into the ice, the crew sawed off the blade from the no.4 propeller so that the engine could be run to power a generator for the radio. The following afternoon, B-17F 41-9043, with Colonel Bert Balchen onboard, homed in on the emergency signal and found the crew. Supplies were dropped pending the crews rescue. Included in the supplies were some condoms [why?], some of which were used as a balloon to raise a radio antenna. On the third day, Balchen and a pilot landed on a lake about twelve miles short of the crash site and skied to the bomber. The crew was taken back to the lake and, despite snow storms, the airmen were taken in a shuttle of regular flights between the lake and base camp during the next ten days. |
23 November 1942 |
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Written off. |
October 1964 |
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Discovered.
The wreck was rediscovered in 1964. |
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Recovered.
Removed from the ice cap and dismatled. The components were lifted out by two helicopters. |
1995 |
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To Institute of Aeronautical Archaeological Research/Gary Larkins, Auburn, CA. |
August 1995 |
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Transported by ship.
Barged from Greenland to the USA. |
From By 1995 to By 1999 |
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To Tillamook NAS Air Museum, Tillamook, OR. |
By 1999 |
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Stored dismantled in the restoration hangar, at Tillamook, with B-17F parts recovered from an Alaska crash site in 1996. |
14 March 2000 |
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To Ultimate Sacrifice Group/Robert E. Ready, Cincinnati, OH. |
17 March 2000 |
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Transported by ground.
Trucked from Tillamook to Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport, OH. |
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To The Ultimate Sacrifice Memorial Foundation, Cincinnati Blue Ash Airport, Cincinnati, OH.
 View the Location Dossier |
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Restoration started.
Restored for static display in a belly landing diorama. |
By 2004 |
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Markings Applied: My Gal Sal
Fuselage completed. |
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Markings Applied: My Gal Sal |
1 August 2012 |
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Transported by ground.
Departed Cincinnati bound for New Orleans, LA. |
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To National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA.
View the Location Dossier |
1 February 2016 |
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Photographer: Robert Bourlier
Notes: WWII Museum, Boeing Building, New Orleans, LA |
April 2016 |
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Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla |
April 2016 |
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Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla |
April 2016 |
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Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla |
April 2016 |
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Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla |
