DESTINY'S CHILD
B-17G-30-BO 42-31812
401st Bomb Squadron
Jack Gaffney's pride and joy was "Destiny's Child" for he was its crew chief
and he lavished much care and attention on the plane. Destined to fly a total of
53 combat sorties over Occupied Europe this plane was taken by as many as
15 different crews between 22nd February and 20th July 1944. Every one of those
53 sorties was without a single abort due to mechanical faults. "I was very
proud of that", said Jack. "Sure hated to lose it."
The plane was named by radio man Gene Letalien on Howard Weber's crew and the character
painted on by Jack Gaffney was based upon the popular Little Uncle Rafe. The excellent
care given to the plane by crew chief Gaffney brought him a Bronze Star for meritorius
achievement due to its completing 44 missions on its original engines.
On 20th July 1944, while attacking the airfield at Mockau near Leipzig, "Destiny's Child"
was caught by waves of Fw190s and Me109s, sixty strong, which sliced through
the formation and left it burning in #4 engine with wings and elevators badly damaged.
The crew of Charles Van Ausdell abandoned the aircraft but only five men survived.
© Ray Bowden
