Dale C. Headlee Crew

DALE C. HEADLEE CREW - 427th BS
B-17G #42-38051 My Yorkshire Dream (427th BS) GN-P
(Assigned 427BS: 16 January 1944)

(Back) 1Lt Dale C. Headlee (P), 2Lt Joseph E. Fogerson (CP),
1Lt Jerome D. Schweitzer (N), 1Lt Donald J. Handley (B)

(Front) T/Sgt James A. Klunk (E), T/Sgt Chester H. Moberg (R),
S/Sgt Berton F. Almanzor (BTG), S/Sgt Clarence C. E. Kyle (WG)(far left),
S/Sgt Robert J. Wilson (WG), S/Sgt Alton R. Bell (TG)

Ranks and grades at time of last combat mission

1Lt Dale C. Headlee thirty-two dispatched (30 credited) combat missions:
107 (8 Feb 44), 109, 112, 113, 114, 115(A), 116, 117(A), 118, 119, 121, 122, 123, 125, 126, 129, 130, 132, 133, 134, 141, 142, 143, 144, 149, 151, 152, 155, 156, 160, 164, 166 (31 May 44)
(A) Non-credited aborted mission. For mission dates, targets and mission reports, see the missions list.

Eleven B-17s flown by 1Lt Dale C. Headlee on his 32 dispatched combat missions:

42-39855 B-17G (P) Sweet Rose O'Grady (427BS) GN-R - 17 missions - 107, 113, 114, 119, 121, 122, 125, 129, 130, 132, 133, 134, 152, 155, 156, 160, 164 (Scrapped at Kingman, AZ)
42-37875 B-17G (P) Empress of "D' Street aka Flying Bison (427BS) GN-A - 4 missions -109, 112, 142, 151
42-5054 B-17F (P) Belle of San Joaquin (360BS) PU-I - Mission 115 (Aborted)
42-31060 B-17G (P) Pogue Ma Hone (427BS) GN-N - Mission 116
42-3158 B-17F (P) Max (427BS) GN-Y - 2 missions - 117 (Aborted), 141
42-31213 B-17G (P) Pistol Packin Mama (359BS) BN-Z - 2 missions - 118, 126
42-29823 B-17F ---- (No name) (427BS) GN-X - Mission 123
42-107002 B-17G (P) Mairzy Doats (358BS) VK-A - Mission 143
42-97391 B-17G ---- (No name) (427BS) GN-R - Mission 144
42-37841 B-17G ---- Banshee (360BS) PU-P - Mission 149
42-102432 B-17G ---- Tiny Angel (427BS) GN-U - Mission 166
(P) See Nose Art Photos

Crew Notes:
All missions flown by all crewmen with the following exceptions where substitute crewmen were used:

1Lt Dale C. Headlee (P) - Completed combat tour on 31 May 1944
2Lt Joseph E. Fogerson (CP) - Did not fly on eight missions (107, 121, 122, 123, 125, 126, 129, 130). Flew on eight additional missions with six different Pilots (135, 136, 169, 170, 171, 172, 176, 186). Completed combat tour on 23 June 1944.
1Lt Jerome D. Schweitzer (N) - Did not fly on four missions (156, 160, 164, 166). Flew on four additional missions with three different Pilots (120, 135, 136, 145). Completed combat tour on 19 May 1944.
1Lt Donald J. Handley (B) - Did not fly on four missions (129, 156, 160, 166). Flew on three additional missions with two different Pilots (129, 135, 136). Completed combat tour on 29 May 1944.
T/Sgt James A. Klunk (E) - Did not fly on three missions (160, 164, 166). Flew on three additional missions with two different Pilots (127, 135, 136). Completed combat tour on 20 May 1944.
T/Sgt Chester H. Moberg (R) - Did not fly on two missions (164, 166). Flew on two additional missions (135, 136). Completed combat tour on 25 May 1944.
S/Sgt Berton F. Almanzor (BTG) - Did not fly on three missions (126, 129, 130). Flew on three additional missions with two different Pilots (103, 135, 136).
S/Sgt Clarence C. E. Kyle (WG) - Did not fly on two missions (113, 166). Flew on two additional missions (135, 136). Completed combat tour on 29 May 1944.
S/Sgt Robert J. Wilson (WG) - Did not fly on four missions (107, 109, 112, 118). Flew on two additional missions on his first combat tour (135, 136). Completed combat tour on 3 June 1944. Flew on thirty-seven additional missions: Twenty three missions with the Chester E. Flick crew; Thirteen missions with five other Pilots. Last mission on second combat tour (35 missions) on 7 August 1944. Credited with sixty-five 427th BS combat missions.
S/Sgt Alton R. Bell (TG) - Did not fly on five missions (114, 125, 126, 129, 130). Flew on five additional missions with two different Pilots (135, 136, 168, 169, 170). Completed combat tour on 4 June 1944.
Mission 135 and 136. Nine of the crewmen flew on these two missions with 1Lt George W. Shope, Jr. as Pilot.

[photo courtesy of Mark Forlow]
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]