Dad was armorer on original "Hell's Angels" B-17 ground crew

Lindsborg, KS

My dad, Ernest H. Touhey, was an armorer on the B-17 called "Hell's Angels." Some believe the Hell's Angels was the first B-17 to finish its missions without losing a man, not the Memphis Belle. They were part of the 303rd Bombardment Group stationed in England during WWII. The plane flew 40 missions without ever having to turn back because of mechanical problems. Altogether the plane with this crew completed 48 missions without having a crew member wounded or killed. After they completed their missions, the crew was sent back to the U.S. and went on a War Bond tour. They met a lot of celebrities. A book by Valerie Smart about this plane and crew was published in 2001 by Arcadia Publishing. The book is mostly photographs.

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