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303rd BG Original Crew 427th Southworth Crew Billy B. Southworth, Pilot |
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BILLY B. SOUTHWORTH CREW - 427th BS
B-17F Bad Check #41-24587 (GN-P)
(original crew assigned 427BS: 01 May 1942 - photo: 12 Oct 1942)
(Back L-R) Capt Billy B. Southworth (P), 2Lt John L. Dillinger (CP),
1Lt Jon R. Schueler (N), 2Lt Milton K. Conver (B)
(Front L-R) T/Sgt Lucien W. Means Jr., SSgt Edward J. Doughty,
Sgt Waldo B. Brandt, Sgt William W. Fleming, Sgt Jack Belk
Photo of the crew of B-17F #41-24587 Bad Check, taken 12 October 1942 at Dow Field (Bangor, Maine). The nose art in the photo shows "Bugs" before the name Bad Check was added. A newspaper article in the family scrapbook credits my father, Milton Conver, with naming the Bad Check for the same reason pilot Billy Southworth named his later aircraft Winning Run - one comes back and the other comes home.
B-17F Bad Check #41-24587 (GN-P)
(photo: 19 Oct 1942 - Dow Field, Bangor, Maine)
(L-R) 2Lt John L. Dillinger (CP), Capt Billy B. Southworth (P), 1Lt Milton K. Conver (B)
The three officers are sporting their new Bugs Bunny patches that had just arrived the morning of October 18th, 1942. Also shown is the newly painted aircraft name Bad Check. Shown in the background is B-17F #41-24612 The Devil Himself 427BS (GN-R).
Crew Notes:
- 1Lt Jon R. Schueler (N) - Grounded after eight combat missions on 16
February 1943. Hospitalized for emotional distress.. Received a medical retirement
in February 1944. Later became a renowned artist.
- Sgt William W. Fleming - Became a Gunnery Instructor in England after completing his combat tour on 03 September 1943.
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]