Charles Early Crew

322nd Squadron

Lt. Early's Crew

Tuxedo Juntion

Serial # 42-39836 LG-M

Back Row - Left to Right

T/Sgt. Paul E. Baker, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Robert E. Bumb, Ball Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. Carl H. McVey, Top Turret/Flight Engineer; Sgt. Tabor W. Best, Left Waist Gunner; Sgt. Marvin B. Britt, Right Waist Gunner; Sgt. Robert R. Holton, Tail Gunner.

Front Row - Left to Right

2nd Lt. Roscoe E. Albright, Navigator; 2nd Lt. James R. Brown, Co-pilot; 2nd Lt. Charles Law Early, Pilot; 2nd Lt. John Carter, Bombardier.

Photo contributed by Gary Early

Charles Early Crew Factoid - The information below, as well as the photo above, was provided by Gary Early, son of Lt. Charles Early (Pilot). The phot was taken in August 1943.

Lt. Brown and Lt. Carter were subsequently assigned to different aircraft, were both shot down on the 10 September 1943 Anklam Raid, and were POWs at Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany.

The crew in the photo were subsequently assigned to B-17G No. 4239836, 91st BG, 322nd Sq., Aircraft LG-M. The plane was shot down on the 1 December 1943 Solingen Raid. Since the plane was brand new, it had not yet been named. The crew on that flight included 2nd Lt. Billy G. Ponder, Co-pilot, and 2nd Lt. Wilfred A. Bouchard, Bombardier. Lt. Ponder and Sgt. Britt were killed. The remaining 8 men of the crew survived and were POWs in Germany. Pilot Charles Early was a POW at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany. The story of his being shot down and some POW info can be found at a website called Merkki that has a collection of stories, photos, art, and information on Stalag Luft I

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