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"PATTY"
Ted Downtain –
Crew Chief
Inducted into the Army on 12 November 1942
Trained at Kessler Field, Mississippi; Willow Run, Michigan;
Alamogordo, New Mexico, served in the Air Corps with the 15th Air
Force, 450th Bomb Group, 721st Squadron. As a Crew Chief
in the Eame Theater, Ted was awarded the Good Conduct Ribbon, ETO Ribbon, Ten
Battle Stars, Presidential Unit Citation with Clusters and Bronze Star.
Discharged – 12 September 1945.
Ted was Crew Chief of four airplanes:
1.
"Impatient Virgin" – Lost February 1944
2.
"Impatient Virgin II" – Lost April 1944
3. Unnamed
– Lost on first mission
4. "Patty"
– named for his wife Pat
Patty's Record:
Four original engines went the first 40 missions before
having to change the #3 engine. The next night, after her 41st
mission, all three of the other engines were changed. Patty was to lead the
mission the next day.
M/Sgt W.M. "Bill" Holman, Line Chief and M/Sgt T.A. Doriety,
Asst Line Chief, advised Ted to get 3 or 4 guys to help and have her ready to
fly by 0500. Those guys that helped were:
M/Sgt Vince Genna
M/Sgt Omi Manring
M/Sgt Charles Furgeson
T/Sgt Thomas Canop
S/Sgt Carl Barr
"Patty" was ready to fly on 0430 and led the mission.
"Patty" made 75 missions without an early return and then on her 76th
mission returned due to a faulty valve in the right main landing gear. "Patty"
went on to fly 112 missions without an early return.
Ted was awarded the Bronze Star on 6 February 1945 by
Colonel Kyle.
Information compiled by Doid Raab from the notes he received
from Ted Downtain.
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