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427th Burch Crew Armand F. Burch, Pilot

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ARMAND F. BURCH CREW - 427th BS
B-17F Shooting Star #42-29540 427BS (GN-W)
(crew assigned 427BS: 09 Feb 1943 - photo: USA, early 1943)

(Back L-R) S/Sgt Robert W. Arnold (WG), S/Sgt George W. Ashworth (R),
unknown ground crewman, unknown ground crewman,
unknown ground crewman, unknown ground crewman, S/Sgt H.H. Brown (TG)

(Middle) T/Sgt Benjamin Barlow (E), S/Sgt Louis F. Bourdon (BT),
unknown, 1Lt John D. Noblin (N)

(Front L-R) 1Lt Armand F. Burch (P), 2Lt Byron K. Butt (B), 2Lt Burt J. Cardwell (CP)

Crew Note:
The Burch crew, on 9 February 1943, was the first replacement crew to be assigned to the 427th Bomb Squadron. The crew flew from the United States to England via the southern route - South America and Africa thence to England. They flew as a crew for their first eighteen missions with the following exceptions: 2Lt Byron K. Butt (B) became a Lead Bombardier with another crew; 1Lt Armand F. Burch (P), S/Sgt Howard T. Brown (TG) and S/Sgt Louis F. Bourdon (BTG) were transferred to Bovington, England as instructors for incoming crews. Other crewmen completed their twenty-five mission combat tours and returned to the USA. 1Lt Burch returned to the USA in November 1945.

[photo courtesy of Armand F. Burch]
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]