Information about this photograph:

  1. Aircraft No: 42-97363
  2. Tail Letter: Unassigned
  3. Fuselage ID: Unassigned
  4. Group/Squadron: 398th, 603rd
  5. Official Name of Aircraft: The Bugler
  6. Date of Photograph: March 1944
  7. Photo Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
  8. Crew at time of Photograph: Hopkins
  9. Final Disposition of A/C: Assigned to Hopkins in Rapid City Feb/March 1944, arrived Nuthampstead 25 April 1944; 4 May 1944 assigned out; to 96th BG 413th Squadron; no combat operations with the 398th; shot down June 1944.
  10. Related Information:
    1. Hopkins' Crew's B-17 at Rapid City
  11. Names the crew gave to The Bugler's engines as noted in a letter by Ray Vicha
    1. Engine No. 1: "Reveille" - always starts first
    2. Engine No. 2: "Pay Call" - always dependable
    3. Engine No. 3: "Taps" - acts up and stops in flight
    4. Engine No. 4: "Dirty Gertie" - throws oil
  12. Written on back of photo by Ray Vicha:
    "Here's the picture I was gonna send this morning that's our "Fine Trap???". No. one engine is always started hence the name. No. 2. is always on the ball. No. 3 is always going out or stopping and No. 4 is throwing oil. No. 3 is my pet, he always goes out when I talk nice to him and then we land and I come too town."

Men in Photo (viewer's left to right):

  1. T/Sgt. Raymond C. Gibeau, Radio
  2. S/Sgt. James (Red) F. Hochadel, Ball Turret Gunner
  3. S/Sgt. Raymond A. Vicha, Waist Gunner
  4. 2nd Lt. Edward C. Jordan, Co-Pilot

The Hopkins' Crew at the time of the photograph:

  1. 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins, Pilot
  2. 2nd Lt. Edward C. Jordan, Co-Pilot; replaced Lt. Steve P. Cullinan
  3. Lt. David B. Moore, Bombardier
  4. Lt. Anthony J. Jellen, Navigator
  5. T/Sgt. Raymond C. Gibeau, Radio
  6. S/Sgt. Raymond A. Vicha, Waist Gunner
  7. S/Sgt. Ray E. Nutter, Waist Gunner
  8. T/Sgt. Walter G. Armstrong, Engineer
  9. S/Sgt. William J. Germiller, Tail Gunner
  10. S/Sgt. James F. Hochadel, Ball Turret Gunner

Source Infomation:

  1. Photo Source: The Jeff Eberle (Vicha) Photo Collection
  2. Photo Reference: Vicha/4297363_Bugler
  3. Photographer: Unknown but probably member of Hopkins crew
  4. Information compiled by the 398th Web team with special thanks to Jeff Eberle (Vicha).
  5. If you would like to add information about this photograph, please contact our Aircraft Photo Coordinator. Please include the title.