384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in World War II

Welcome to the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Photo Gallery. This gallery makes available the photographic and documentary portion of the 384th BG record. All content on this gallery is visible to all visitors. Those wishing to enter a comment or contribute images will need to register and log in (links at left of Home page). Please register for an account when you need access beyond viewing gallery content. For additional information about the 384th BG, visit the 384th Bomb Group website⇗.

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Crew with "SPAM-O-LINER"

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This may have been taken on 16 April 1945, when this crew served as "Cowboy Scouter."

Rear, standing, left-to-right: William E "Pop" Dolan; Col. Theodore R Milton, Pilot; 1st Lt. Henry Dolson, Navigator.
Front, left-to-right: unidentified; Major Thomas D Hutchinson, Copilot; 1Lt Herbert H Schaaf, Observer.

If this picture was taken on 16 April 1945, the two crewmen not pictured are T/Sgt William H Cawthon, Radio Operator, and S/Sgt Donald E White, Engineer.

Aircraft is a 545th B-17G, serial 42-102430, squadron code JD*O, "SPAM-O-LINER". Note the turrets have been removed and faired over with sheet metal.

Per the 443rd Sub-Depot Unit History of January 1945:
"At the request of Colonel Milton, Station Commander, aircraft 42-102430 is being converted, by the Sub-Depot, to a transport. By removing all turrets guns and putting false floors in waist, bomb bay and nose, seats for eighteen (18) men can be conveniently placed. This aircraft renamed Spam-O-Liner will completed within a few days".

Source: Robert Bletscher, 2011.

Bletscher: "I had sent someone to copy the records, but unfortunately they were too big to be copied on a regular scanner. The Agency Chief at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB, in Alabama, decided that they were records that should be preserved, and as a result had his department take care of them."

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