28 Jul Pistol Packin’ Mama
The Pistol Packin’ Mama at the Bulltofta airfield. Posing happily in front is a member of the Swedish Air Force
This week, I found a tiny photograph of a plane in my Dad’s scrapbook from World War II Sweden. I blew it up and discovered some creative nose art — a scantily-clad blonde!
On April 9, 1944, 10 U.S. planes force-landed in Sweden. It was Easter Sunday. On that day, the 8th AF dispatched 542 bombers and 719 fighters to aircraft factories and airfields in Germany and Poland.
The B-24 Pistol Packin’ Mama (Serial #42-72858) of the 44th BG at Shipdham and piloted by 1st Lt. Hiram C. Palmer, was sent to the airfield at Turow in northern Germany, an integral part of the enemy’s production of FW-190 fighter planes.
On the way to the target, near Hamburg, enemy fighters hit the Mama, and ironically one was an FW-190. With the damage, the plane couldn’t keep up with the formation. The pilot flew north toward safer skies and headed for Sweden. As they neared Malmö on the western coast, Swedish fighters came up to chase the Germans off and led them to Bulltofta airfield.
Lt. Palmer skillfully landed the plane, wheels up, on the grassy field. The engineer T/Sgt. P.J. Kruse reported that it was “the most beautiful crash landing I’ve ever seen or heard about, anytime, any place. We were shaken and very scared, but none of us were injured.”
This was the Pistol Packin’ Mama’s 30th and final mission. Due to heavy damage, the plane was scrapped. The crew returned to England after some months of internment.
“Pistol Packin’ Mama” was a popular name for the artistically decorated bomber planes, inspired by the best-selling song of WWII, recorded by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, and many more.
As a P.S., I tried to learn a little more about pilot Hiram Clare Palmer, Jr. and discovered he died on December 6, 1948, just four years later. Back home, he had a wife and daughter. A sad ending to this story.
The Entire Crew:
1st Lt Hiram C. Palmer, Pilot
2nd Lt Lawton L. Sternbeck, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt James Gillespie, Navigator
S/Sgt Andrew F. Babich, Nose Turret Gunner
T/Sgt Paul J. Kruse, Engineer
T/Sgt David C. Putman, Radio Operator
S/Sgt Raymond J. Long, Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Raymond J. Damico, Left Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Jack H. Feinstein, Bottom Turret Gunner
S/Sgt Norman B. Johnson, Tail Gunner
More photographs at the Forced Landing Collection website.
Resource: Making for Sweden, Part 2 by Widfeldt and Wegmann
J Palmer
Posted at 15:38h, 04 AugustThank you for sharing. Hiram Jr was my uncle, heard the stories told by my father. Great piloting runs in our blood. One brother is a crop duster and has safely crashed due to winds and wires.
Dee Roths
Posted at 21:49h, 11 FebruaryI am his daughter, and my Mom and Dad were married after he returned home. I was a baby when he passed away. When he returned, he was offered multiple jobs as an airline pilot, but decided to farm and raise cattle in NE Mo. He built 2 runways on his little airport on the farm for his Cessna 140. HIs father learned to fly in this little plane after Daddy died, and owned the little plane all his life. His final rank was Captain.
Pat DiGeorge
Posted at 06:57h, 12 FebruaryDee, thank you so much for reading and replying to my post. So glad you found it. Obviously, my Dad and your Dad were friends after they both landed in Sweden.
John Hiram Poehlman
Posted at 22:47h, 15 MarchThank you Pat. Dee and J are my cousins. I always heard a lot about my Uncle “Hiram Junior “. I am sure that he was a very skillful pilot so thank you for acknowledging him. I am going to start looking for your book!