390th Memorial Museum Foundation

09/16/2026

September 16, 1943 | Remembering the Crew of “Ascend Charlie”

83 years ago today, B-17 Flying Fortress Ascend Charlie (42-5903) of the 390th Bomb Group’s 571st Bomb Squadron was returning from a mission to the massive German submarine pens at La Pallice, France.

The aircraft had suffered battle damage over France, two crewmen were wounded, and the bomber was running dangerously low on fuel. As the formation made its way back toward England, Captain L. W. Doland flew alongside Ascend Charlie and ordered the other aircraft to slow down and protect the damaged Fortress.

But as the formation crossed England, darkness closed in and the weather deteriorated. Two of Ascend Charlie’s engines were on fire. The aircraft struggled to keep pace, disappeared into a fog bank, and was never seen again.

Alone in the worsening conditions, Lieutenant Herbert Turner and his nine-man crew crashed into a 2,000-foot peak in the Black Mountains of Wales.

All ten men were killed.

The crew of Ascend Charlie:

• 1st Lt. Herbert I. Turner, Pilot
• 2nd Lt. Frederick M. Broers, Copilot
• 2nd Lt. Robert L. Schanen, Navigator
• 2nd Lt. Orval Tofte, Bombardier
• S/Sgt. Philip Catania, Radio Operator
• S/Sgt. Stanley B. Mason, Left Waist Gunner
• S/Sgt. Alfred C. Monson, Tail Gunner
• S/Sgt. John J. Peterson, Right Waist Gunner
• S/Sgt. Sherman E. Rambo, Top Turret Gunner
• S/Sgt. Swen A. Zetterberg, Ball Turret Gunner

Most had been in uniform for less than two years. Yet by September 1943, many were already veterans of nearly ten combat missions.

Today, a small memorial stands near the crash site in the Black Mountains, marking the place where these ten young Americans made their final flight.

We are especially grateful to Andrew Watson, who recently visited the memorial site and captured this remarkable aerial video with his drone. From thousands of miles away, his footage gives us a chance to see the remote landscape where Ascend Charlie came to rest and to remember the men who never made it home.

Thank you, Andrew, for helping bring this piece of the 390th’s history back into view.

09/14/2026

In our collection, we have a commemorative plaque unlike most others. Embedded in it are fragments of a B-17 recovered from a remote mountainside in Wales.

We have a photograph of a crew briefing. Look closely and you’ll spot an A-2 jacket bearing the name of the aircraft.

And we have a single photograph of that aircraft’s nose art.

The metal.
The jacket.
The photograph.

Three small pieces of evidence from a story that ended far from home. On September 16, the anniversary of the crash, we’ll share something we’ve never been able to show you before.

Andrew Watson recently visited the memorial site in the Black Mountains and flew his drone over the remote landscape where this story came to its tragic end.

09/10/2026

Step into history and follow in the footsteps of the 390th Bomb Group on an unforgettable journey through the United Kingdom.

Walk the very airfield where 390th crews launched combat missions over occupied Europe. Visit the villages that welcomed American airmen, explore the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Bletchley Park, Dover Castle, and other historic sites that helped shape the story of World War II.

This is more than a trip. It’s the chance to stand where history happened, hear the stories, and experience the places connected to the Greatest Generation alongside fellow history enthusiasts.

Only 40 spaces are available. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this extraordinary journey.

Learn more and register at 390th.org.

390th Memorial Museum England Heritage Tour April 19-29 2027 Tour Pricing Double Occupancy: $8,941 per person Single Occupancy Supplement: Additional $3,172.08 Reservation Information $500 non-refundable deposit is required immediately to reserve your place. 20% of the remaining balance is due upon....

09/07/2026

September 7th 1943, the 390th Bomb Group flew Mission #11. The target was once again the Blockhouse d’Eperlecques, the V 1 installation at Watten, France. Capt. Dolan was the lead pilot, with Maj. Hansel serving as the command pilot.

The target was a serious concern to the Allies. Located in northwest France, the bunker was only 110 miles (177 km) from London. If completed, it would have been capable of storing 100 A 4 ballistic missiles and launching as many as 36 missiles per day.

For 8th Air Force Bomber Command Mission #92, 290 bombers were dispatched against several targets. The third formation, consisting of 147 bombers, was assigned specifically to Watten, France. Three groups aborted the mission due to weather, while 58 aircraft reached and attacked the target.

The third formation suffered heavy losses, with 39 B 17s damaged and 13 aircraft lost.

You can see V-1 serial number 121536 on display at Pima Air & Space Museum

09/05/2026

On This Day in History
Stuttgart, Germany: September 5, 1944 | Mission 184

A force of 218 bombers from the Third Bombardment Division was dispatched by the Eighth Air Force to attack the Daimler Benz aero engine factory in Stuttgart. Among them were 38 aircraft from the 390th Bomb Group, divided into three attack groups.

“A” Group consisted of 12 aircraft under the command of Major Samuel O. Davis. “B” Group included 13 aircraft commanded by Captain James T. McKnight. The remaining 13 aircraft made up “C” Group, under the command of Captain Alvin W. Jaspers.

Clear weather allowed the formation to visually bomb the target. Both “A” and “B” Groups successfully dropped their bomb loads within the target area, while the bombs from “C” Group fell wide of the mark.

The bombers encountered no enemy fighters but came under concentrated flak fire over Stuttgart. The lead aircraft of “C” Group, “Blues in the Night” (43 37866 B, 571), was crippled by the flak. Although the crew was able to keep the aircraft airborne for a time by feathering two propellers, the pilot was eventually forced to make a crash landing in Switzerland.

The crew was taken into custody by Swiss authorities and remained in captivity until they were eventually repatriated.

Despite the loss of the aircraft, the formation left the Daimler Benz factory in flames. The remaining 37 aircraft returned safely to Framlingham, with the last aircraft touching down at 4:56 PM after more than ten hours in the air.

Two bombers and two fighter escorts were lost during the mission to Stuttgart. In total, 26 men were reported dead, wounded, or missing.

📸 “Lucky” (44 6007 M), which participated in this mission, photographed at bombs away.

📸 First Lt. Wayne W. Hollopeter, Navigator, who flew aboard “I’ll Be Seeing You / Til We Meet Again” (43 38175) during the mission. Lt. Hollopeter flew 34 missions with the 390th Bomb Group, including seven missions as Command Navigator. He is pictured here in the center with his brothers Earl, left, and Frank, right.

09/02/2026

Bombsight, Hell! That's the Colonel's Scoth!

It was no laughing matter when it came to the Norden bombsight.

During World War II, the Norden bombsight was one of the most closely guarded pieces of equipment aboard a bomber. It was considered highly classified and was treated as a critical piece of military technology. Bombsights were kept under lock and key when not in use, and aircrews were responsible for protecting them from enemy capture or unauthorized access.

The bombsight was even carried to and from the aircraft under guard.

Of course, that level of security made it an irresistible target for the humor of the men who actually had to haul the thing around.

This cartoon, from The Story of the 390th Bombardment Group (H), captures that wartime sense of humor perfectly.

08/28/2026

🇺🇸 Welcome Aboard, Flight Officer Harvey S. Horn

We are honored to welcome Flight Officer Harvey S. Horn, veteran of the 15th Air Force and former prisoner of war, as a new docent at the 390th Memorial Museum.

Harvey’s story is one of courage, survival, persistence, and a determination to ensure that the men who saved his life are never forgotten.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Harvey enlisted in the Army Air Corps in October 1942 and was called to active duty in March 1943. He volunteered for pilot training but was ultimately selected for navigator training. After completing his training, he deployed to Italy and joined John Lincoln’s Crew 11-30 as navigator with the 772nd Bomber Squadron, 463rd Bomber Group, 15th Air Force, based at Foggia, Italy.

On March 20, 1945, Harvey and his crew flew a mission against the marshalling yards south of Vienna at Amstettin, Austria. Their B-17G, “Pretty Baby’s Boys,” was hit by flak over Zagreb, Yugoslavia. With multiple engines failing, the crippled Flying Fortress became increasingly difficult to control.

Pilots John Lincoln and Lorin Millard brought the aircraft down to approximately 500 feet over Fiume before ditching under enemy fire into Kvarner Bay.

All ten members of the crew survived.

For Harvey, that ditching would become one of the defining moments of his life.

After reaching shore, Harvey and his crewmates were captured by the German Navy and became prisoners of war. Harvey spent 36 days in captivity, traveling from Fiume to Nuremberg through a succession of trains, trolleys, buses, and forced marches.

As an American Jewish soldier captured by N**i Germany, Harvey faced fears that went beyond those experienced by many of his fellow prisoners. At one point, he was placed in solitary confinement, alone in a dark space with no idea what would happen to him—or whether his family would ever know what became of him.

Eventually, Harvey and his fellow prisoners were liberated by American forces.

After the war, he returned home to New York and spent decades trying to put his wartime experiences behind him.

But Harvey’s story did not end there.

Years later, he began sharing his experiences, became active with veterans organizations, and volunteered for many years at the Tucson VA Hospital. He also documented his wartime experiences in his book, Goldfish-Silver Boot: The Story of a World War II Prisoner of War.

Now, Harvey is joining us at the 390th Memorial Museum.

For a museum dedicated to preserving the stories of the men who served, there could be no better way to welcome a new docent than by welcoming someone who has lived the history we are entrusted to preserve.

We are grateful to have Harvey with us, and we look forward to hearing his stories and sharing them with our visitors.

Welcome aboard, Harvey. 🇺🇸

08/26/2026

The name Liberty Belle carries a remarkable story.

The B-17G Liberty Belle (42-97849) flew 64 combat missions with the 390th Bomb Group before her final mission on February 14, 1945.

That day, the Group was assigned to bomb the marshalling yard at Chemnitz, Germany. When the lead bombardier was unable to pick up the target, the formation made runs on the airfield at Cheb, Czechoslovakia, and the town of Plauen using the pathfinder method.

During the mission, Liberty Belle was struck by flak and forced to crash-land. The aircraft was later salvaged on February 18, 1945.

Today, the 390th Memorial Museum has a tangible connection to that story: an original Liberty Belle flight jacket, donated to the museum in 2016. The jacket served as the inspiration for our new Liberty Belle Hoodie.

The artwork recreates the look and spirit of the original crew jacket, including the 8th Air Force emblem, Liberty Belle name, and mission bombs representing an airman's combat record.

But there is still a mystery surrounding the original jacket.

Who donated it? And who did it belong to?

Our records from 2016 are incomplete, and we're asking the 390th Community for help. If you remember this jacket, recognize the name Liberty Belle, know who may have owned it, or have any information about its donation to the museum, please reach out to us.

Even a small detail could help us reconnect this artifact with its story.

And now, you can wear a piece of that story yourself.

The Liberty Belle Hoodie is available now in the 390th Memorial Museum Gift Shop.

Come see the original jacket, learn about Liberty Belle, and take home your own piece of 390th Bomb Group history.

Liberty Belle Hoodie Inspired by the iconic A-2 leather flight jacket worn by the crew of B-17G Liberty Belle (42-97849), this premium zip-up hoodie brings a piece of 390th Bomb Group history into your everyday wardrobe. The back features artwork based on the original crew jackets, including the 8th...

08/25/2026

One of our favorite jackets is back on display!

But there’s more to this jacket than meets the eye…

It has a famous name, a remarkable story, and a connection to a new project we’ve been working on for quite some time.

There’s just one problem…

We don’t know the whole story.

Who wore it? Who donated it? And how did this piece of history find its way into the 390th Memorial Museum?

Tomorrow, we’ll reveal more.

And we may need your help solving the mystery.

08/25/2026