William J. Monahan Crew

WILLIAM J. MONAHAN CREW - 358th BS
B-17F #42-24577 Hell's Angels (358BS) VK-D
(crew assigned 358BS: 26 July 1943 - photo: 10 Aug 1943)
(Monahan was copilot to R.W. Joy, upgraded to pilot)

(Back L-R) T/Sgt M.D. Ignaczewski (E)(1)(5); S/Sgt Frank Kimotek (R-Evd)(1);
S/Sgt Walter Gasser (AE/RWG-POW)(1); S/Sgt Alfred R. Buinicky (BT-Evd-POW)(1)(7);
S/Sgt James H. Comer, Jr. (LWG-POW)(1); S/Sgt David Miller (TG-KIA)(1)(2)

(Front L-R) 1Lt William J. Monahan (P-POW)(1)(3); Lt Martin L. "Pete" Clark (CP)(1)(4);
2Lt William P. Maher (N-Evd)(1)(6); 2Lt Walter Hargrove (B-Evd)

Crew flew 5 missions with Lt Ripley W. Joy and 6 missions with Lt William J. Monahan in Hell's Angels B-17 from 04 July 43 to 27 Aug 43

(KIA-POW-EVD) On 31 August 43 mission #65 to Amiens/Gilsy, France in B-17F #42-29635 Augerhead (358BS) VK-M. B-17 lagged behind formation, pulled out of the formation heading for the coast and seeking cloud cover from attacking enemy fighters. Was last seen going down over Abbeyville, under control, with two enemy fighters attacking.

1Lt L.M. Benepe (CP-POW) was a substitute for 2Lt Martin L. Clark
Sgt V.E. Olson (RWG-POW) was a substitute for regular Engineer T/Sgt Marion D. Ignaczewski

Originally members of the 1Lt Ripley W. Joy Crew.
S/Sgt David Miller came down dead in his parachute with his legs blown off. Crewmen reported that some of the nine attacking German aircraft had fired at the descending men in parachutes.
Lt William J. Monahan was originally CoPilot for the Lt. Ripley W. Joy crew. Flew first mission as Pilot on 26 July 43
Lt Martin L. Clark was hospitalized when his Crew shot down. Flew as CoPilot for five crews that were shot down. Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on 26 Oct 43 and completed his 25 mission combat tour. No crewmen was wounded or MIA on his missions.
T/Sgt M.D. Ignaczewski (E) flew his 7th and last mission on 15 August 43 with the Lt William J. Monahan crew
Lt. William P. Maher remained in the USAF after WWII. Was Killed in Service on 18 March 1953 flying in a RB-36H Peacemaker #51-31741, 718th SRS, 28th SRW, on a low-level overwater training flight, just 1,000 ft over the ocean whitecaps, from the Azores to its base at Rapid City, SD. The B-36 became lost in bad weather, had problems with its jet engines and crashed into a frigid wilderness hillside on Random Island, near Burgoyne Cove, Newfoundland. All twenty crewmen aboard were killed, including Capt Maher who was flying as an Observer, Radar Operator. The Senior Officer aboard was BGen Richard E. Ellsworth CG of the 28th SRW. The Rapid City AFB, SD was renamed Ellsworth AFB after BGen Ellsworth by President Eisenhower on 13 June 1953.
[See http://www.ellsworth.af.mil/history.html]. In September of 2003, William Patrick Maher, Jr. and his wife visited the crash site.
S/Sgt Alfred R. Buinicky - Believed to have evaded capture with help of the French Resistance. Later captured and made a POW. See the Buinicky Evasion Story.

Signatures from the back of the crew photo

Bombardier 2Lt Walter Hargrove rolling the dice. Pilot 1Lt Monahan is front row, second from the left. 2Lt William P. Maher (N) is standing in the center of the photo.

WILLIAM J. MONAHAN CREW - 358th BS
B-17F #42-24577 Hell's Angels (358BS) VK-D
(crew assigned 358BS: 26 July 1943 - photo: 06 July 1943)

(Back L-R) 1Lt William J. Monahan (P-POW), Lt Martin L. "Pete" Clark (CP),
2Lt William P. Maher (N-Evd), 2Lt Walter Hargrove (B-Evd), T/Sgt M.D. Ignaczewski (E)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Frank Kimotek (R-Evd), S/Sgt Walter Gasser (AE/RWG-POW),
S/Sgt Alfred R. Buinicky (BT-Evd-POW), S/Sgt James H. Comer, Jr. (LWG-POW), S/Sgt David Miller (TG-KIA)

French ID issued to 2Lt Walter Hargrove while evading capture in France

Memorial to Monahan's Crew
Mighty Eighth AF Heritage Museum - Savannah, GA

For more information, see the Monahan Crew and Ground Crew photo

[photos courtesy of James Hargrove]
[Researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]