USAAF 41-31684 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder

USAAF serial number S/N: 41-31684 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder

1941031684, 41-31684 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder Fate: Mid-air collision Unit: 387BG556BS Remarks: 387BG556BS (Chipping Ongar) - Tiger Tails Code:FW-A named: Double Trouble Entire crew perished after a Midair collision with Itsy Bitsy (FW-K) during formation assembly on 8 March 1944. Completed 47 missions. Disposal: 01-Mar-44

Further Website References: http://387bg.com/Aircraft/B-26%20Double%20Trouble.htm

Double Trouble
Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder
Sn: 41-31684
Squadron Code: FW-A

First Sortie	Last Sortie	Total
15 Aug 43	8 Mar 44	47

Crew Chief: T/Sgt. Lester B. Chase
Asst. Crew Chief: Cpl. Clyde Davidson
Asst. Crew Chief: Cpl. John Pierce

Double Trouble was one of the original cadre of B-26s that formed the 556th Bomb. Squadron. The crew to which the aircraft was originally assigned and that flew the aircraft from the United States to England was:

Pilot CP B/N EG ROG AG CC

1st Lt. 2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. S/Sgt. S/Sgt. Pvt. T/Sgt.

Wilford H. Tribby Philip H. Sheridan Joseph Nester Jospeh J. Nowak Leslie E. Spice Rayburn E. Thomas Lester B. Chase

DOUBLE TROUBLE GETS IT

On September 27, 1943, Double Trouble, piloted by 1st. Lt. Richard J. Ulvestad, was on a mission to bomb the airfield at Beauvais-Tille. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target, which caused a fire in the rear of the aircraft. The three gunners in the back of the plane bailed out.

The pilot couldn't raise the gunners on the intercom and asked Gordon Hatt to go back and see if there was any problem. When he got to the back of the plane, he was surprised to find all three gunners were missing.

After the gunners bailed out the pilots resolved the problem with the engine and returned to their home base in England, Station 162 (Chipping Ongar). After landing in occupied France, Hugh Snyder was picked up by the French underground and passed along to southern France where he was captured by a German Patrol while attempting to cross the Spanish border. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW.

Walter Ives recalls that "Dick Ulvestad was an excellent pilot. As I got it, he made two single engine passes at a fighter field in south England before deciding on the third approach to go for it." Of the aircrew members that bailed over France, Walter believes that Fred Murray was the only one who evaded capture and returned to England. "He and I had a fine chat in my quarters before he left for the States. I have never forgotten a question I asked him, 'What were you doing before entering the service?' His answer, 'I was studying for the ministry.'"

The incident was written up in the Stars and Stripes and some newspapers in the United States. The crew on the mission was:

Pilot CP B/N EG ROG AG

1st Lt. 2nd. Lt. 2nd Lt.

Richard J. Ulvestad Gordon R. Hatt Kent Jorgensen Oliver Bragg Fred L. Murray Hugh F. Snyder

Despite the extensive damage, Double Trouble was repaired and resumed flying missions two months later.
COLLISION WITH ITSY BITSY

March 8, 1944 - Sta. 162 (Chipping Ongar)  Itsy Bitsy and Double Trouble collided in the clouds during formation assembly. Double Trouble's crew perished when their aircraft plunged to earth and crashed. The crew was able to salvo its bombs in the countryside prior to the crash, which limited the damage at the crash site. Bombs were said to be “salvoed” when they were dropped with safety wires intact and the detonators were not armed. The following crewmembers were killed:

KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA KIA

Pilot CP B/N EG ROG AG

1st Lt. 2nd Lt. 1st Lt. S/Sgt. T/Sgt. S/Sgt.

Edward D. Sargent Donald L. Ogden Alexander Levi (557th Bomb. Sq. Joseph E. Somoski Robert A. Nordlohne Harry Bear

2nd Lt. Sam Ayer landed Itsy Bitsy safely, but the aircraft was a loss. It was later slavaged for parts.
AIRCRAFT MISSION LOG

Two asterisks mean the mission was executed and credited, whether or not successful. One asterisk means the aircraft penetrated enemy airspace but failed to drop its bomb load on target, usually due to obstructing clouds. Strikeout means the aircraft was assigned to but not credited with a mission. NTO means no take off.

DATE RESULTTARGET           PILOT
03 Aug 43  ** DIVERSION Pilot: Jarrett
15 Aug 43  ** St. Omer Airfield Pilot: Sargent
16 Aug 43  Abort  Bernay St. Martin Airfield [Fuel leak]  Adelman
19 Aug 43  ** Poix-Nord Airfield  Pilot: Tribby
03 Sep 43  ** Lille-Nord Airfield Pilot: Tribby
04 Sep 43  ** Coutrai marshalling yard  Pilot: Miner
06 Sep 43  ** Rouen marshalling yard  Pilot: Bartley
06 Sep 43  ** Serqueux marshalling yard Pilot: Bartley
07 Sep 43  Abort  St. Pol Marshalling Yard  Pilot: Toler
08 Sep 43  ** Lille-Nord Airfield Pilot: Tribby
09 Sep 43  ** Boulogne area coastal defenses Pilot: Tribby
15 Sep 43  ** Merville Airfield Pilot: Tribby
18 Sep 43  ** Beauvais-Tille Airfield Pilot: Tribby
18 Sep 43  Recall Beaument le Roger [Recalled by escort] Pilot: Tribby
19 Sep 43  *  Lille-Nord Airfield Pilot: Tribby
23 Sep 43  ** Conches Airfield  Pilot: Tribby
24 Sep 43  Abort  Eveaux-Fauville Airfield  Pilot: Tribby
25 Sep 43  ** St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield Pilot: Tribby
27 Sep 43  ** Beauvais-Tille Airfield Pilot: Ulvestad
26 Nov 43  ** Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Pilot: Tribby
29 Nov 43  Recall Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield [Weather] Pilot: Tribby
01-Dec-43  ** Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Pilot: Swinney
04-Dec-43  *  Chievres Airfield Pilot: Tribby
21-Dec-43  NTO  Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site [Radio out] Sanders
22-Dec-43  Abort  Cormette V-1 site [Failed to make formation]  Morin
30-Dec-43  ** Cocove V-1 site Pilot: Tyler
04-Jan-44  Abort  Eclimeaux V-1 site [Electrical malfunction] Pilot: -?-
07-Jan-44  *  La Glacerie coastal defenses  Pilot: Toler
14-Jan-44  ** Liagnem V-1 site  Pilot: Tribby
23-Jan-44  ** Le Grismont V-1 site  Pilot: DeBolt
24-Jan-44  ** Maison-Ponthieu V-1 site  Pilot: Tribby
29-Jan-44  ** Beaulieu FME V-1 site Pilot: Tribby
03-Feb-44  Abort  Ruisseauville V-1 site [Tail turret out]  Heikkila
05-Feb-44  *  Bois Rempre V-1 site  Pilot: Neilson
08-Feb-44  ** Losterbarne-Ardes V-1 site  Pilot: Tribby
08-Feb-44  ** Cambrai-Neirgnies Airfield  Pilot: Tribby
09-Feb-44  ** Belleville en Caux V-1 site Pilot: Tyler
10-Feb-44  ** Poix Airfield  Pilot: Swinney
13-Feb-44  ** Hambures V-1 site Pilot: Sargent
15-Feb-44  ** Chateau de Bosmelet V-1 site  Pilot: Sargent
20-Feb-44  Abort  Eindhoven [No escort] Pilot: Hill
21-Feb-44  *  Soesterberg Airfield  Pilot: Thompson
22-Feb-44  Abort  Soesterberg Airfield [Weather]  Pilot: Tribby
24-Feb-44  ** Leeuwarden Airfield Pilot: Tribby
24-Feb-44  ** Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site Pilot: Tribby
25-Feb-44  ** Venlo Airfield Pilot: Sanders
25-Feb-44  *  La Longueville V-1 site Pilot: Sanders
28-Feb-44  ** Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site Pilot: Estes
29-Feb-44  *  Behen V-1 site Pilot: Tribby
01-Mar-44  ** Linghem V-1 Site  Pilot: Tribby
01-Mar-44  ** Amiens marshalling yard Pilot: Tribby
03-Mar-44  ** Montdidier Airfield Pilot: Tribby
04-Mar-44  *  Malines V-1 site  Pilot: Tribby
05-Mar-44  ** Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site Pilot: James
07-Mar-44  *  Aulnoye V-1 site  Pilot: -?-
08-Mar-44  Mishap Soesterberg Airfield [Collided w/Itsy Bitsy] Pilot: Sargent