423:. Zeamer began the mapping run, hoping to complete it before the Zeros could reach their mapping altitude at 25,000 feet (7,600 m). Shortly before its completion, ineffectual passes from below were followed by a handful of Zeros enclosing the B-17 from below in a coordinated attack, two approaching from the rear and three fanned across the front. The combination left Zeamer unable to execute his usual defensive air tactic of turning inside the line of fire of enemy aircraft attacking from the front. Such a maneuver, in this case, would expose his B-17's belly to the Zeros attacking from the front. Aware of their position over
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hydraulic lines behind the cockpit, starting a fire. A third 20mm shell entered through the plexiglass nose combing, destroying Zeamer's rudder pedals and instrument panel, delivering grievous wounds to Zeamer's left leg, while also slicing his right wrist. Back in the B-17's nose, despite being blown to the floor with a horrible gash in his side and another in his neck, Sarnoski regained his machine gun in time to counter a twin-engine fighter (later confirmed to be a
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staggered gun ball sockets, one in the port side nose window and one in the starboard-side nose window. The forward-mounted .50 in the nose was for use by the bombardier, which was confirmed by navigator Ruby
Johnston; such a single .50 mount was common in 43rd BG B-17s. It would have been unusual for Zeamer to have removed such a useful machine gun when his goal was to
33:
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grounded for a long period of time. Nothing more is known about the aircraft until the following April, when it was once again being flown on photo-recon missions by the 8th PRS. In May 1943, having by then gained a reputation as a “Hard Luck Hattie” for its record of acquiring ongoing damage and oddball accidents, 41-2666 was transferred to the
284:, the squadron executive officer at the time, requisitioned the B-17 for use by his own selected aircrew, who called themselves the Eager Beavers, due to Zeamer's regular habit of volunteering for missions. Besides significantly reducing its overall weight by 2,000 pounds (910 kg), including stripping out unnecessary structure,
398:, almost 600 miles (970 km) over mostly open ocean from Seven-Mile, in support of a planned invasion of the island later that year. Such mapping demanded rigorously straight and level flight for the duration to avoid blurring of the photos, and this mission would require a 22-minute level run over hostile territory.
356:. He had the name painted in script under the three windows on the port side nose, mostly between and underneath the small forward window and larger gun window on that side. This was in honor of Lucile Christmas, the daughter of Major General John K. Christmas, whom he dated stateside while stationed at
333:
machine guns. The plane had custom-engineered twin .50s mounted in both waist positions and overhead in the radio compartment (rather than a single .50 in each position) and a single fixed .50 mounted on the deck to the right of the bombardier's chair, specially sighted and wired for Zeamer to fire
584:
Due to its specialized nature, 41-2666 evaded retirement despite the damage it received on the 16 June 1943 mission. Repairs and modifications reversed many of the alterations made by the Eager
Beavers. It was returned to the 8th PRS, and by fall it had even returned to combat, flying two missions
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Early arrival at the initial mapping point meant a half-hour delay in starting the mapping run; the sun was not high enough for the light necessary for topographic relief. The delay prompted Zeamer to ask his aircrew's opinion of the Buka recon. All supported going ahead with it, considering their
219:
During the summer and fall of 1942, the Flying
Fortress was flown primarily by the 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron (PRS), usually while attached to the 19th. Late in the year, it was transferred to the 43rd Bomb Group, where during a mission in December 1942, it was damaged severely enough to be
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return heading, determined by the badly wounded Zeamer, while the unscathed substitute copilot, Lt. John T. Britton, took stock of the damage to the aircrew and their aircraft. Zeamer, drifting in and out of consciousness, advised Able on keeping level and on course. Radio operator
Vaughan, while
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hit, which also badly injured the navigator, 1st Lt. Ruby
Johnston. Another 20mm struck the side of the cockpit behind the pilots, sending shrapnel into the legs of Sgt. Johnny Able, the assistant flight engineer substituting that day as the top turret gunner. The shell also struck the oxygen and
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the aircraft's frontal fire power. Both .50s could not be present and also match the 16 machine guns confirmed by Zeamer's original flight log and by the morning report of the 65th BS. Therefore, the rear, floor-mounted machine gun Zeamer said he remembered more than likely came from a misplaced
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to circle around, one by one in turn, to strafe from the front. Zeamer was now able to execute the technique that he had been unable to use against the coordinated first pass. By banking hard inside the firing angle of each approaching Zero, Zeamer both avoided the enemy's machine gun fire and
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Zeamer also reported a single .50 machine gun mounted through the floor aft of the belly turret. This detail conflicts with the central .50 already mounted in the plane's nose combing—the B-17E series came equipped from Boeing with three forward nose combing ball sockets; there were also two
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had been destroyed. During or shortly after the dive, radio operator Sgt. William
Vaughan was badly grazed in the neck by a round from a Zero following them down. After the long dive, both Johnston and Able extinguished the oxygen fire using only their hands and rags.
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Zeamer had volunteered for the mission when it was first requested in April, but weather and other factors forced postponements until the June date. Twice before taking off at 4:00 a.m., 16 June, Zeamer rejected orders to add to the mission a reconnaissance of
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Contemporary accounts indicate the aircrew counting around 50 enemy aircraft on either side of the airfield, with crew statements given in support of Zeamer's Medal of Honor reporting 17 or 18 Japanese fighters either taxiing or taking off, as
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ball socket. Additionally, three loose .50s were carried in the aircraft's catwalk for quick substitution in case any machine guns became inoperable for any reason. This accounts for the 19 machine guns Zeamer referred to in a 1945 issue of
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allowed his rear gunners unfettered access to target the Zeros as they flew past. This continued until finally, low on ammunition and fuel, about forty minutes after the initial attack, the last of the remaining fighters returned to base.
559:, second only to the Medal of Honor. The mission remains the most highly decorated in American history, and the Eager Beavers, with their individual decorations considered together, the most highly-decorated aircrew in U.S. history.
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flew over the island. These were
Japanese Navy Model 22 Zeroes of 251 Kukutai (Air Squadron), most of which were usually based at Rabaul, New Britain. They had moved to Buka airdrome the previous day for a planned 16 June attack on
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Leveling out, Zeamer continued to pilot the B-17 despite excruciating pain and continued blood loss. Correctly assuming that the forward machine guns were now inoperable, the
Japanese pilots began lining up on both sides of
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360:. Despite their extensive reworking of the B-17, Zeamer and his aircrew flew 41-2666 only five times, two of which were test hops. Standard bombing missions were flown by the other Flying Fortresses, reserving "666"/
581:. The aging and much-abused Pacific Flying Fortresses were increasingly difficult to maintain, and the longer range of the B-24 made it more practical in a theater of war defined by the vast distances to targets.
1399:(Volume I: Prewar to October 1943, The B-17 Era). International Historical Research Associates, 2016. Oversized hardcover, heavily illustrated. Note: Two editions as of 2021, the 2nd being revised and expanded.
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According to Zeamer's own flight log entry for the 16 June 1943 mission, and the 65th
Bombardment Squadron morning report for that mission, the crew had increased the plane's active armament from 12 to 16
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Usual armament of a B-17 in the
Pacific at this time was 12 machine guns: ball turret (2), waist guns (2), tail guns (2), radio compartment (1), top turret (2), cheek guns (2), and nose (1).
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As for the B-17's name, Zeamer's aircrew referred to 41-2666 only as "666" or "the plane". On 14 June 1943, two days before their final mission together, Zeamer officially named their B-17
260:. Just prior to the 16 June 1943 mission, Tech. Sgt. Forrest Dillman was added to the crew, and Lt. John Britton and Lt. Ruby Johnston replaced Dyminski and Thues, who had contracted
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airdrome, located off Bougainville's northern tip. The assigned mapping would be hazardous enough, he felt, without prematurely alerting the airbase of their presence.
298:(AP) report dated 30 April 1943 recounted Zeamer and his crew dropping from 8,000 feet (2,400 m) to 300 feet (91 m) to complete a reconnaissance mission over
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1704:
252:
The original “Eager Beavers”. Front (l to r): Sgt. William Vaughan, Sgt. George Kendrick, Sgt. Johnnie Able, Sgt. Herbert Pugh. Back (l to r): Bud Thues, Capt.
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had suffered five 20mm cannon hits and 187 bullet holes. While the aircrew reported downing five Zeros, Japanese records show none were shot down, with one
1962:
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Zeamer's aircrew flew three reconnaissance missions in 41-2666, the last occurring on 16 June 1943. It called for a solo B-17 to map the west coast of
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443:"Irving") pressing a new attack on their nose. Sarnoski drove the attacker off before it could inflict more damage, then collapsed from his wounds.
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proximity. As a result, Zeamer circled to come over Buka from the northeast, so as to continue into the mapping run down Bougainville's west coast.
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For the completion of their mission, despite the certainty of attack and their respective sacrifices, Sarnoski and Zeamer were each awarded the
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in England, which was lost in a mid-air collision on 31 August 1943. The nickname was also used by some other B-17s and aircraft of the era.
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322:, New Guinea, at an altitude of 900 feet (270 m). At least one version of that article noted the crew's "Eager Beavers" nickname.
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early in the engagement, due to engine failure, and only three being damaged by return fire. Zeamer's injuries were reported in the
291:, and ammunition feed equipment, the aircrew also replaced the four aging engines with new ones, as Zeamer wanted a fast aircraft.
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had been returned to the US to be used as a base transport aircraft and later as a heavy bomber trainer. It was finally flown to
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to Port Moresby). Britton, having returned to his seat for the balance of the flight, landed at Dobodura without working
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548:(INS) reported Sarnoski's death on August 10. An overall recounting of the mission was published in March 1944.
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492:, New Guinea, for an emergency landing (it was not expected that Zeamer could survive a return flight over the
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Bombardment Groups in 1942–1943. It is notable for being the aircraft piloted by Lt. Col. (then Captain)
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Ken’s Men Against the Empire: The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II
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Hickey, Lawrence J. (with Birdsall, Steve; Jonas, Madison D.; Rogers, Edwards M.; and Tagaya, Osamu).
2001:
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The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force, The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War
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near the end of the 6,000-foot (1,800 m) runway. There was no further damage to the B-17.
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By mid-1943, like most heavy bomb groups in the Pacific, the 43rd had mostly converted to the
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decorations for the crew. Another AP article, dated 30 May 1943, reported Zeamer and his crew
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2014:
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down to about 10,000 feet (3,000 m), estimating his altitude from a change in
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USAF Historical Division's Brief History of the 43rd Bombardment Group, 1940-1952
427:, the primary mapping objective, Zeamer held the course, hoping to fight it out.
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Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, Item ID C08051658400, pp. 44-45.
1427:. (X Planes of the Third Reich Series). Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1999.
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An aerial view of B-17s from the 43rd Bombardment Group parked in their
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and Flight Petty Officer 2nd Class Suehiro Yamamoto, failed to return.
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212:. Sometime after it arrived in Australia, 41-2666 was equipped with a
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Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission That Changed the War in the Pacific
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Having finished the mapping run and now needing oxygen, Zeamer dove
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1236:"Jay Zeamer Jr., 88; pilot won the Medal of Honor in World War II"
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The Eager Beavers' mission was featured in a 2007 episode of the
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In all, four members of the aircrew were wounded and one killed.
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reported the date of the incident as May 16 rather than June 16.
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This aircrew should not be confused with a B-17F nicknamed
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and its specialty camera array for photo and mapping work.
1171:"Mortally Wounded Bombardier Downs 2 Jap Planes In Battle"
520:
Tenacity over Bougainville: Zeamer and "The Eager Beavers”
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camera array used in high-altitude topographical mapping.
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on the 16 June 1943 mission which earned him and 2nd Lt.
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This first attack proved fatal for bombardier 2nd Lt.
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later participated in a strike on Allied shipping at
1438:
Zeamer, Jay (January 1945). "There's Always a Way".
1942:
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555:, with the remainder of the aircrew receiving the
480:nursing his neck wound, calculated a heading for
1451:Zeamer's Eager Beavers – The Definitive Resource
1100:Zeamer’s Eager Beavers - The Definitive Resource
1057:Zeamer’s Eager Beavers - The Definitive Resource
998:Zeamer’s Eager Beavers - The Definitive Resource
846:Zeamer’s Eager Beavers - The Definitive Resource
741:Zeamer's Eager Beavers - The Definitive Resource
562:Seven of the eight Zero pilots who intercepted
868:"Redding Gunner Hero in Battle With Jap Plane"
524:National Museum of the United States Air Force
1493:
8:
570:that same day. Two of them, Warrant Officer
1964:Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress
1204:"Kendrick Decorated For Bougainville Fight"
1030:Letter, Jay Zeamer to Art Cohn, 10 Aug 1943
522:display in the World War II Gallery at the
177:, and all other members of the aircrew the
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208:. That same month, it was assigned to the
20:
1305:#41-2666, Individual Aircraft Record Card
941:"Flying Fortress Extinguishes Jap Lights"
243:
153:, serial number 41-2666, assigned to the
1673:Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident
706:41-2666, Individual Aircraft Record Card
318:Japanese searchlights while flying over
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623:
601:, in August 1945 to be sold for scrap.
904:"B-17's Prove Useful in Strafing, Too"
500:or brakes, requiring him to carefully
471:Once out of danger, Sgt. Able piloted
306:, while harassed by 15 to 20 Japanese
1143:"Fort Pilot Stops 2 Bullets, 5 Zeros"
1053:"The Incredible True Story - Part VI"
276:at Seven-Mile Airstrip in August 1942
7:
662:memory of his prior assignment with
2021:Individual aircraft of World War II
1409:Murphy, James T., with Feuer, A.B.
192:serial number 41-2666 was built in
842:"The Incredible True Story - Full"
781:"B-17 42-29816 / The Eager Beaver"
334:remotely from his pilot's control
16:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber
14:
1423:Stanaway, John, and Rocker, Bob.
1238:. Associated Press. 26 March 2007
1202:Dornon, Sgt. Kay (3 March 1944).
488:airfield on the eastern coast of
1308:, American Air Museum in Britain
770:Stanaway and Rocker 1999, p. 69.
709:, American Air Museum in Britain
434:, who was mortally wounded by a
31:
761:Stanaway and Rocker 1999, p. 8.
737:"'Old 666' / 'Lucy': A History"
634:, s/n 42-29816 assigned to the
338:, through the lower right nose
200:, in March 1942. It arrived in
1359:. Simon & Schuster, 2016.
1337:. 19 January 2007 – via
1141:Turcott, Jack (24 June 1943).
939:Schedler, Dean (2 June 1943).
40:at 14-Mile Airstrip, May 1943.
1:
310:fighters; the action yielded
155:United States Army Air Forces
1355:Drury, Bob and Clavin, Tom.
1096:"Another Puzzle Piece Found"
204:in May 1942 for delivery to
190:Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
148:Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
65:Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
2026:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
1224:– via newspapers.com.
1191:– via newspapers.com.
1183:. 10 August 1943. p. 2
1159:– via newspapers.com.
965:– via newspapers.com.
928:– via newspapers.com.
892:– via newspapers.com.
557:Distinguished Service Cross
179:Distinguished Service Cross
2042:
1691:Windsor Locks, Connecticut
1679:North Barrule, Isle of Man
884:. 30 April 1943. p. 5
636:401st Bombardment Squadron
546:International News Service
1998:
1268:Drury and Clavin, p. 267.
920:. 2 June 1943. p. 17
587:63rd Bombardment Squadron
256:, Hank Dyminski, 2nd Lt.
222:65th Bombardment Squadron
135:Scrapped (September 1945)
30:
1685:Mount Tom, Massachusetts
1667:Bakers Creek, Queensland
1214:Rapid City, South Dakota
909:The Richmond News Leader
244:Zeamer's "Eager Beavers"
1662:Accidents and incidents
1913:Thunderbird (42-38050)
1844:Thunderbird (44-85718)
1473:Zeamer's Eager Beavers
1385:. Zenith Press, 2013.
806:"Search: Eager Beaver"
668:22nd Bombardment Group
614:, titled "Long Odds".
526:
391:
380:
358:Langley Air Force Base
277:
265:
226:43rd Bombardment Group
210:19th Bombardment Group
1441:The American Magazine
1327:"Long Odds (episode)"
980:Jay Zeamer flight log
518:
386:
375:
346:The American Magazine
271:
251:
1512:B-17 Flying Fortress
1176:St. Louis Star-Times
1085:Murphy 1993, p. 169.
1076:Murphy 1993, p. 168.
1042:Murphy 1993, p. 167.
810:b17flyingfortress.de
785:b17flyingfortress.de
544:on June 24, and the
1972:Twelve O'Clock High
1816:Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby
1809:Sentimental Journey
1795:Piccadilly Lilly II
1335:The History Channel
1259:Gamble 2013, p. 81.
1148:New York Daily News
1120:Gamble 2013, p. 80.
1021:Zeamer 1945, p. 106
946:Del Rio News-Herald
425:Empress Augusta Bay
396:Bougainville Island
230:Seven-Mile Airstrip
93:Construction number
46:General information
2002:Boeing B-29 family
1209:Rapid City Journal
1000:. 23 February 2014
914:Richmond, Virginia
848:. 17 November 2022
743:. 23 February 2014
527:
494:Owen Stanley Range
392:
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278:
266:
2008:
2007:
1922:
1921:
1899:Sir Baboon McGoon
1863:
1760:Aluminum Overcast
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1413:. Praeger, 1993.
1405:978-0-9135-1107-7
1391:978-0-7603-4407-1
1377:978-1-4767-7487-9
1369:978-1-4767-7485-5
1102:. 14 January 2020
878:Chico, California
589:. By March 1944,
454:pressure, as the
139:
138:
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1871:All American III
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1736:Notable aircraft
1715:Units of the MTO
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632:The Eager Beaver
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296:Associated Press
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1950:B-17 in fiction
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1646:307 Stratoliner
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1381:Gamble, Bruce.
1361:Trade hardcover
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606:History Channel
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432:Joseph Sarnoski
388:Joseph Sarnoski
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368:Mapping mission
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171:Joseph Sarnoski
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1433:978-0764309106
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1419:978-0275945404
1407:
1393:
1383:Target: Rabaul
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167:Jay Zeamer Jr.
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51:Other name(s)
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1520:Predecessors
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1411:Skip Bombing
1410:
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1350:Bibliography
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1310:, retrieved
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1279:
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1240:. Retrieved
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1218:. Retrieved
1207:
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441:Nakajima J1N
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393:
390:, bombardier
361:
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344:
324:
293:
279:
258:Joe Sarnoski
234:Port Moresby
218:
188:
151:heavy bomber
142:
141:
140:
116:Manufactured
72:Manufacturer
54:
37:
24:
18:
1885:Nine-O-Nine
1851:Yankee Lady
1823:Swamp Ghost
1710:USAAF units
1581:CB-17/VB-17
1220:20 November
1216:. p. 3
1187:20 November
1155:20 November
1151:. p. 3
961:20 November
957:. p. 1
924:20 November
888:20 November
852:20 November
815:20 November
790:20 November
595:Albuquerque
568:Lunga Point
502:ground loop
421:Guadalcanal
331:.50 caliber
328:M2 Browning
312:Silver Star
304:New Britain
214:trimetrogon
2015:Categories
2000:See also:
1934:Bally B-17
1837:The Swoose
1788:My Gal Sal
1574:Transports
1458:23 January
1312:21 January
1286:21 January
1242:23 January
713:21 January
691:References
681:Daily News
599:New Mexico
572:Yoshio Oki
541:Daily News
436:20mm shell
340:plexiglass
274:revetments
254:Jay Zeamer
238:New Guinea
198:Washington
124:In service
119:March 1942
1956:Air Force
1744:Survivors
1722:Survivors
1705:Operators
1639:Airliners
1609:F-9/FB-17
1371:, eBook:
994:"Q&A"
611:Dogfights
585:with the
539:New York
511:Aftermath
456:altimeter
286:cartridge
206:Australia
127:1942–1943
1988:Fortress
1943:In media
1927:Replicas
1862:Historic
1753:44-83690
1727:Variants
659:increase
535:ditching
482:Dobodura
452:manifold
316:strafing
280:Captain
157:(USAAF)
1892:Old 666
1802:Sally B
1541:Bombers
666:of the
608:series
564:Old 666
531:Old 666
505:Old 666
473:Old 666
465:Old 666
448:Old 666
416:Old 666
379:, pilot
262:malaria
194:Seattle
185:History
173:each a
143:Old 666
111:History
106:41-2666
38:Old 666
25:Old 666
1990:(2012)
1982:(1990)
1974:(1949)
1966:(1944)
1958:(1943)
1699:(2022)
1693:(2019)
1687:(1946)
1681:(1945)
1675:(1943)
1669:(1943)
1655:Topics
1618:Drones
1514:family
1509:Boeing
1431:
1417:
1403:
1389:
1375:
1367:
1106:30 May
1062:30 May
1004:30 May
747:30 May
486:Allied
300:Rabaul
202:Hawaii
146:was a
102:Serial
83:Owners
77:Boeing
1593:C-108
1558:YB-40
1553:XB-38
1527:XB-15
664:B-26s
618:Notes
498:flaps
490:Papua
484:, an
475:on a
320:Wewak
289:belts
228:, at
87:USAAF
1630:BQ-7
1625:CQ-4
1588:C-75
1548:B-17
1460:2019
1429:ISBN
1415:ISBN
1401:ISBN
1387:ISBN
1373:ISBN
1365:ISBN
1339:IMDb
1314:2019
1288:2019
1244:2019
1222:2022
1189:2022
1157:2022
1108:2021
1064:2021
1006:2021
963:2022
926:2022
890:2022
854:2022
817:2022
792:2022
749:2021
715:2019
679:The
591:Lucy
579:B-24
404:Buka
362:Lucy
354:Lucy
336:yoke
308:Zero
163:43rd
161:and
159:19th
132:Fate
96:2487
61:Type
55:Lucy
1532:247
1181:INS
294:An
2017::
1565:PB
1363::
1333:.
1329:.
1295:^
1252:^
1212:.
1206:.
1179:.
1173:.
1145:.
1098:.
1055:.
1035:^
1014:^
996:.
985:^
971:^
955:AP
953:.
949:.
943:.
918:AP
916:.
912:.
906:.
882:AP
880:.
876:.
870:.
844:.
825:^
808:.
783:.
739:.
722:^
597:,
349:.
302:,
240:.
236:,
224:,
196:,
181:.
1501:e
1494:t
1487:v
1444:.
1341:.
1246:.
1110:.
1066:.
1008:.
856:.
819:.
794:.
751:.
264:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
