B-17(F) WW2 Bomber "Judy"
B-17(F) Flying Fortress "Judy"
“Judy”
“Judy” was the moniker painted on the nose of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress Bomber, Serial Number 42-29963, based out of Kimbolton Airfield, England, and was part of the United States 8th Air Force, 379th Bomb Group, 527th Squadron. On Thursday, December 30th, 1943, Judy and her crew were shot down over France. The crew and their status after the plane's crash are as follows:
Glenn E. CAMP, 2nd Lieutenant, Pilot, Prisoner of War
Joseph F. FITZGERALD, Flight Officer, Co-Pilot, Killed in Action
Jarvis H. COOPER, 2nd Lieutenant, Navigator, Prisoner of War
Edward J. DONALDSON, 2nd Lieutenant. Bombardier, Returned to Military Base
Milton J. MILLS, Jr., Staff Sergeant, Radio Operator/Gunner, Returned to Military Base
Richard R. GIERSCH, Staff Sergeant, Top Turret Gunner, Killed in Action
Marcus G. PIERCE, Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner, Killed in Action
Douglas J. FARR, Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner, Returned to Military Base
Neelan B. PARKER, Sergeant, Left Waist Gunner, Returned to Military Base
Robert E. CROSS, Staff Sergeant, Tail Gunner, Killed in Action
Hundreds of bombers and fighter escorts were flying toward their objective that day, an attack on oil and gas refineries in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Judy suffered heavy flak damage to an engine while en-route to her mission objective, but managed to drop her payload of bombs on target. The damaged engine caused Judy to lose altitude and speed as the squadron began their flight back to base, making Judy easy prey for six ME-109 fighters. Staff Sergeant Cross (Tail Gunner) and Staff Sergeant Giersch (Top Turret Gunner) are each believed to have downed an enemy fighter just before Judy was critically hit by a flurry of ME-109 rockets. Lieutenant Camp (Pilot), was quick to give the command for everyone to bail out over what was then German-occupied France, near the town of Ully St. George.
A war memorial commemorating Judy and her crew was erected in the French town of Ully St. George near the crash site in 2007.
This was a personal project completed in 2012. In 2022 this rendering was revised to correct missing markings that were not known at the time and to reflect the time of day and weather conditions. If you are related to any of the Judy Crew members and would like a digital copy of this rendering, contact me at joel@joelgray.com
Photo reference of the original B-17 "Judy"
