Yancey's other Yak

[Lowell]

Wayne,

Reading somewhere her about K-Falls made me think again about Bob Yancey's other Yal-11 that you thought you had some old images of one time when I asked. I think he and the crewchief (Bill Whitlock-sp?) had it on the entry list one year for Reno but were no shows with the reserve racer. I'm thinking it was to be race #99. Saw it once or twice in the corner of the hangar when passing thru Klamath but never got a photo. I think it was pretty stock as R-1830/2000 Yaks go. Blue camou?

Also, off topic, except it was still in Klamath my last time through. Can I get someone to post a pic of that wall mural downtown that shows the B-17 "O' Pissonya" in it's last seconds. The same airplane spent some time in my dad's 419th BS/301st BG but the day it was lost I think it was with the 97th BG if memory serves.

Lowell Thompson

[Bob]

Re: Yancey's other Yak

I have some pics of an old B-17 called the Pysonya, they are posted here.
prolly not the same plane

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=5056&page=1&pp=10

[Lowell]

Re: Yancey's other Yak

B-17F-35-VE, 42-5951 was the "O Pissonya" on the Klamath Falls wall, commemorating David R. Kingsley after which the airfield is named. It was delivered new to Long Beach 5/30/43. Later it was assigned to 419th BS of 301st BG at Oudna, Tunisia on 8/12/43. Some conflicting information regarding 419th BS assignment exists as some experts say it went to the sister Squadron 353rd BS of the 301st BG. In any event it transfered to the 341BS of the 97BG after 17 missions. It crashed at Plovdiv on 6/23/44 and Kingsley was awarded the Medal of Honor.

According to Wikpedia:
"Kingsley joined the Army from Portland, Oregon, and by June 23, 1944 was a second lieutenant serving as a bombardier in the 97th Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. On that day, during a raid over Ploeşti, Romania, his aircraft was badly damaged and several crewmen wounded by fire from enemy fighters. When the pilot gave the order to bail out of the crippled plane, Kingsley voluntarily gave up his parachute to SSgt. Michael Sullivan, whose chute had been lost. Kingsley was killed when the aircraft crashed a short time later. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on April 9, 1945."

Kingsley, aged 25 at his death, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.

The MACR is 6406.

There was a B-17G-30-BO "Pysonya" with the 774 BS/463rd BG (also 15th AF) serial 42-31795. It was MIA over Budapest on July 14, 1944. MACR 6858.


Wikpedia also has this:

Second Lieutenant Kingsley's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, 23 June 1944 near Ploesti, Rumania, while flying as bombardier of a B17 type aircraft. On the bomb run 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft was severely damaged by intense flak and forced to drop out of formation but the pilot proceeded over the target and 2d Lt. Kingsley successfully dropped his bombs, causing severe damage to vital installations. The damaged aircraft, forced to lose altitude and to lag behind the formation, was aggressively attacked by 3 ME-109 aircraft, causing more damage to the aircraft and severely wounding the tail gunner in the upper arm. The radio operator and engineer notified 2d Lt. Kingsley that the tail gunner had been wounded and that assistance was needed to check the bleeding. 2d Lt. Kingsley made his way back to the radio room, skillfully applied first aid to the wound, and succeeded in checking the bleeding. The tail gunner's parachute harness and heavy clothes were removed and he was covered with blankets, making him as comfortable as possible. Eight ME-109 aircraft again aggressively attacked 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft and the ball turret gunner was wounded by 20mm. shell fragments. He went forward to the radio room to have 2d Lt. Kingsley administer first aid. A few minutes later when the pilot gave the order to prepare to bail out, 2d Lt. Kingsley immediately began to assist the wounded gunners in putting on their parachute harness. In the confusion the tail gunner's harness, believed to have been damaged, could not be located in the bundle of blankets and flying clothes which had been removed from the wounded men. With utter disregard for his own means of escape, 2d Lt. Kingsley unhesitatingly removed his parachute harness and adjusted it to the wounded tail gunner. Due to the extensive damage caused by the accurate and concentrated 20mm. fire by the enemy aircraft the pilot gave the order to bail out, as it appeared that the aircraft would disintegrate at any moment. 2d Lt. Kingsley aided the wounded men in bailing out and when last seen by the crewmembers he was standing on the bomb bay catwalk. The aircraft continued to fly on automatic pilot for a short distance, then crashed and burned. His body was later found in the wreckage. 2d Lt. Kingsley by his gallant heroic action was directly responsible for saving the life of the wounded gunner.

[raymond anderso]

Re: Yancey's other Yak

Ray Anderson

Bob Yancey's 1830 powered Yak is now flying in Massachusetts.
It is owned by Steve Connolly.
We repaired his engine several years ago.
"O" Pissonya and Pysonya were different B-17s.
My father Ed Anderson was the pilot of "O" Pissonya and David Kingsley was his best friend and the bombardier.
If you google - Kingsley Ploesti - there are some very good articles on that last mission
He was a hero, as were all the air crews.