Crew, as above, joined the 100th BG (351st Sqdn. ) on 1/12/43

"On the afternoon of December 4, 1943, B-17 42-39791 (Fletcher's Castoria) was wrecked in a crash near the tower. It had taken off with Lt Fletcher aboard who, with his radio operator George Reid and engineer James Whitton, were to give Martin Tashjian and his crew "a local navigation and procedure check". On their return at 14:55 in clear weather and unlimited visibility the aircraft was approaching runway 10 for a straight in landing but from a higher altitude than normal. The touch down was simultaneous on the right main gear, tail wheel and right wingtip, bending the wing two or three feet upwards. The aircraft took off again and climbed straight ahead to an altitude of 50 to 100 feet before dropping down again striking the left wing. The aircraft was destroyed. Lt Tashjian was "seriously wounded", the Navigator Floyd Hartman received moderate injuries and seven other crew members received minor injuries. " (from Century Bombers)

FLETCHER CREW:

350th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined 100th Group in early Oct. 1943

On 4/12/43 Fletcher was flying with the crew of Martin Tashjian newly arrived) to check them out on local landmarks and procedure. Sgt. Whitton & Sgt Reid were also on the flight. There was a landing crash on the field and Fletcher, Whitton & Reid received injuries. However, it is believed that Whitton did not fly further combat duty.

The flight was in Fletcher's A/C 42 39791, Fletcher's Castoria, which was totally destroyed.

Lt Martin Tashjian went on to fly with the crew of Lt. Mark Cope (350th Sqdrn) in "Superstitious Aloysious"

COPE CREW:

350th Sqdn. . Crew, as above, joined the 100th in late July or August 1943. Lt Martin Tashjian flew a few missions with this crew as CP in place of Thomas Cryan

Mark Cope went on to become the 350th Operations Officer. .

IIC = Injured in a crash of a 100th aircraft.

DEVORE CREW:

A/C #42 39934 "MY ACHING BACK"

350th Sqdn. Crew. . On 15/3/44, Lt. Martin Tashjian was flying as TG and was KIA. Capt. Robert Peel, who had flown overseas with the 100th Group as a bombardier without a crew, was flying as BOM and became a POW. Capt. Roland T. Knight, a pilot who had flown over with the Group unassigned to a crew, was this day flying as Command pilot. He was KIA.

This was the 25th mission for most of the crew.

A T/Sgt Robert D. Longworth was flying as ROG in the place of Harry Lenk and was KIA Longworth was from the original crew of Martin Tashjian which had been involved in a crash at Thorpe Abbotts on 4/12/43. Both he & Lt Tashjian had been injured in that crash and the crew "split up".