Monuments
B-17 'Yardbird' (41-24602) & 'Stinky Weather' (42-31179) Memorial
B-17 (42-31179) 'Stinky Weather' Crash Marker
Name:
Albert R. Custer
Rank:
Sergeant
Serial Number:
35410746
Unit:
511th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
1943-12-31
State:
Ohio
Cemetery:
Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France
Plot:
J
Row:
16
Grave:
10
Decoration:
Air Medal, Purple Heart
Comments:
Sgt Albert R. Custer, belly gunner of the B-17 42-31179 "Stinky Weather (Pooper Dooper)", took off from station 110 in Polebrook, Northamptonshire, UK, at 0830 on December 31st, 1943, on a bombing mission to Bordeaux and Cognac. They were intercepted at 1315 between Pleubian and Kerbors by German fighters. Hit, the plane was partially evacuated before crashing by the bay. Of the six that survived, only 2nd Lt Schwayder made it back to England. Custer was initially buried in Lannion.