B-17F Memphis Belle to be placed on permanent display - May 17, 2018

[The Devil's Bank]

Lovely restoration and great pictures.

Thanks for the updates.

[JMM]

I already posted part of this text on my thread about about the Belle

(Memphis Belle)

But here it goes again:

Let's remember the missions:

1942
1. Nov. 7 Brest, France
2. Nov. 9 St. Nazaire, France
3. Nov. 17 St. Nazaire, France
4. Dec. 6 Lille, France
5. Dec. 20 Rommily-Sur-Seine

1943
6. Jan 3 St. Nazaire, France
7. Jan. 13 Lille, France
8. Jan. 23 Lorient, France
9. Feb. 4 Emden, Germany
10. Feb. 14 Hamm, Germany
11. Feb. 16 St. Nazaire, France
12. Feb. 26 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
13. Feb. 27 Brest, France
14. Mar. 6 Lorient, France
15. Mar. 12 Rouen, France
16. Mar. 13 Abbeville, France
17. Mar. 22 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
18. Mar. 28 Rouen, France
19. Apr. 5 Antwerp, Belgium
20. Apr. 16 Lorient, France
21. Apr. 17 Bremen, Germany
22. May 1 St. Nazaire, France
23. May 4 Antwerp, Belgium
24. May 15 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
25. May 17 Lorient, France

The crew:
Capt. Robert K. Morgan - Pilot
Capt. James Verinis - Copilot
Capt. Vincent B. Evans - Bombardier
Capt. Charles B. Leighton - Navigator
T/Sgt. Harold P. Loch - Engineer/Top Gunner
T/Sgt. Robert Hanson - Radio Operator
S/Sgt. John P. Quinlan - Tail Gunner
S/Sgt. Cecil H. Scott - Ball Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Clarence E. Winchell - L Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Casimer "Tony" Nastal - R Waist Gunner

Joe Giambrone - Crew Chief (who replaced 9 engines, both wings, two tails, and both main landing gear)

Ms. Margaret Polk - The Memphis Belle (Died 1990)

Scotty Dog "Stuka" – Mascot

As a side story, the Lorient mission was actually the 24th with the same crew. On May 19th, the Memphis Belle flew its 25th combat mission on a strike against Kiel, Germany (but not with the same crew). The crew that flew the Belle seemed to have particularly good luck once none died or was significantly injured during the missions.

Curiosity:
Squadron’s B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff and her crew completed 25 missions on February 7th, 1943 (Naples, Italy). They would fly five missions more

B-17F Flying Fortress Hell’s Angels, completed its 25th mission on May 13th, 1943. It became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions. After this tour, the crew signed on for a second making a total of 48 missions.
Maybe what captures the spirit of “The Memphis Belle” or what made her more famous was her name (Capt. Morgan’s wartime sweetheart Margaret Polke from Memphis, Tennessee) or the dog “Stuka” that flew all the missions and even had its name written on the plane, or the luck these men had flying 25 missions together and always coming back (with the plane) with no serious injuries, or just the documentary William Wyler made:

YouTube

Here's a pic of the Memphis Belle Memorial with a bronze statue of Margaret Polke



Wilko, if it is ok with you, I'd very much like to see that scan once unfortunately I never got the chance to meet Capt Robert K. Morgan or have his book signed. Thanks

Note: The Belle opening ceremony pics are from the National Museum of the United States Air Force web site. Thank you.

[Wilko]

JMM
Here is the signed Photograph that Capt Morgan was kind enough to sign after the seminar, I think he signed over a 100 that night, such was the passion from all those that had experienced the evening. The evening was between 1993 - 1994 for the 50th anniversary. Sadly the signature was done with a gel pen so it has started to suffer a little over time. I hope it is of interest to the forum.

On a side note from this, in the same year I met Charles Duke of Apollo 16 and he was also kind enough to sign my favourite book, (A man on the Moon by Andrew Chalkin).

I can remember that the evening audience with Capt Robert Morgan was extremely interesting and moving. During the seminar Capt Morgan really did convey the experience and emotions involved during his time in England with the Belle and crew he served with. He left me with just a tiny hint of what it was like, of the bond between his crew and the Belles ground crew. Of the boredom and waiting, of the evening parties with friends, of the loss and waste of life, of the sadness and the intense fear and of the shear determination to win through to the final victory and to peace.

It was an experience that has stayed with me ever since.
Wilko