B-17 Callsign

**Celt 22** · 7th May 2023, 16:06

Hi all,
Apologies if the subject is outside the forum remit, but would anyone have any records of which 8th Air Force unit used the callsign 'Cornfield' in October 1943. I'm trying to identify a Fortress with the callsign 'Cornfield D-Dog' which was given 'Darky' assistance and landed at Sleap, Oct 30th '43.
Cheers
Ian

**Alex Smart** · 8th May 2023, 20:51

Hello Ian,
From what little I have.
The 303rd Bomber Group was meant to bomb Gelsenkirchen .
They were lead by the 482nd Bomber Group Pathfinder aircraft.
Some 2 hours into the mission a recall message was received.
It is said that all 303rd aircraft returned to Molesworth.
But 41-24565," Idaho Potato Peeler" "F", made a landing at RAF Chipping Warden.
Possibly a 10 or 11 man crew.
On the 20/10/1943 - 11 man crew.
On the 03/11/1943 - 10 man crew.
Pilot was 2Lt.Ambrose G, Grant on both of the above missions, so most probably was also on the 30/10/1943.
So if not this aircraft the only other B17 that has been noted to have had a problem was 42-30263 "Pregnant Portia" ,"N" of the 385th Bomber Group that crash landed at RAF Docking, pilot was 1Lt.Robert C.Smith. this aircraft was salvaged on the 2nd November.
The above doesn't rule out the possibility that other B17's landed away from their home Base and have then later returned to their home base safely.
All the best
Alex

**Celt 22** · 9th May 2023, 13:30

Hi Alex,
Sincere thanks for your reply. I will look further into the Groups operating that day - never thought it could be a Combat diversion, I always assumed it was a training flight!
Cheers
Ian

**Alex Smart** · 9th May 2023, 23:53

Hi Ian,
I never even thought about a training flight, so don't rule it out. However I have searched and found that very little is known of those Call Signs until 1944. Whereas Fighter Group one's are well known.
I would suggest that the "D-Dog" would be the aircraft letter and "Cornfield" the Group Code. Which would rule out both of the B-17's I offered.
Two other B-17 landing accidents occurred on the 30th, they were -
96BG/338BS
42-30360, "Chinook", "BX-P" - Pilot Marvin G.LEIGERS. Eventually lost on 8th April 1944 MACR 3649.
and
385BG/548BS
42-30250, "Yank", "GX-F" - Pilot Herbert A.HEUSER.Eventually Salvaged on the 30 January 1944 Non Battle Damage.

Alex

**Celt 22** · 10th May 2023, 16:27

Thanks Alex. In case they may be of interest to you at some point, the Callsigns for the 303rd BG squadrons during July of ‘43 were as follows -
For contacting home station -
358th and 359th - ‘Chairman’
360th and 427th - ‘Leeway’
Contacting stations other than home station -
358th - ‘Guyton’
359th - ‘Oldchurch’
360th - ‘Fortnum’
427th - ‘Cardew’
(Taken from the mission reports.)

Ian

**Alex Smart** · 11th May 2023, 00:17

Hi Ian,
Thank you for those details, have no idea about those codes.
I have found two "D-Dog" B17's from the 482BG .
They were -
812 BS 42-3486 "MI-D"
and
813 BS 42-3525 "PC-D".
These were early PFF aircraft with the 482nd from September 1943.
All the best
Alex

**Lyffe** · 11th May 2023, 06:54

Ian,

Have you considered contacting Bomb Group Veterans Associations, for example 380th Bomb Group Association at http://380th.org/? Its website gives contact details.

Brian