556TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, MEDIUM

Double Trouble
Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder
Sn: 41-31684
Squadron Code: FW-A

        Double Trouble was one of the original cadre of B-26s that formed the 556th Bomb. Squadron. The crew to which the aircraft was originally assigned and that flew the aircraft from the United States to England was:
 

DOUBLE TROUBLE GETS IT

        On September 27, 1943, Double Trouble, piloted by 1st. Lt. Richard J. Ulvestad, was on a mission to bomb the airfield at Beauvais-Tille. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target, which caused a fire in the rear of the aircraft. The three gunners in the back of the plane bailed out.

        The pilot couldn't raise the gunners on the intercom and asked Gordon Hatt to go back and see if there was any problem. When he got to the back of the plane, he was surprised to find all three gunners were missing.

        After the gunners bailed out the pilots resolved the problem with the engine and returned to their home base in England, Station 162 (Chipping Ongar). After landing in occupied France, Hugh Snyder was picked up by the French underground and passed along to southern France where he was captured by a German Patrol while attempting to cross the Spanish border. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW.

        Walter Ives recalls that "Dick Ulvestad was an excellent pilot. As I got it, he made two single engine passes at a fighter field in south England before deciding on the third approach to go for it." Of the aircrew members that bailed over France, Walter believes that Fred Murray was the only one who evaded capture and returned to England. "He and I had a fine chat in my quarters before he left for the States. I have never forgotten a question I asked him, 'What were you doing before entering the service?' His answer, 'I was studying for the ministry.'"

        The incident was written up in the Stars and Stripes and some newspapers in the United States. The crew on the mission was:
 

        Despite the extensive damage, Double Trouble was repaired and resumed flying missions two months later.

        March 8, 1944 - Sta. 162 (Chipping Ongar)  Itsy Bitsy and Double Trouble collided in the clouds during formation assembly. Double Trouble's crew perished when their aircraft plunged to earth and crashed. The crew was able to salvo its bombs in the countryside prior to the crash, which limited the damage at the crash site. Bombs were said to be “salvoed” when they were dropped with safety wires intact and the detonators were not armed. The following crewmembers were killed:
 

        2nd Lt. Sam Ayer landed Itsy Bitsy safely, but the aircraft was a loss. It was later slavaged for parts.

        Two asterisks mean the mission was executed and credited, whether or not successful. One asterisk means the aircraft penetrated enemy airspace but failed to drop its bomb load on target, usually due to obstructing clouds. Strikeout means the aircraft was assigned to but not credited with a mission. NTO means no take off.

       DATE   RESULTTARGET                                          PILOT
    03 Aug 43  **     DIVERSION                                         Jarrett
    15 Aug 43  **     St. Omer Airfield                                 Sargent
    16 Aug 43  Abort  Bernay St. Martin Airfield [Fuel leak]            Adelman
    19 Aug 43  **     Poix-Nord Airfield                                Tribby
    03 Sep 43  **     Lille-Nord Airfield                               Tribby
    04 Sep 43  **     Coutrai marshalling yard                          Miner
    06 Sep 43  **     Rouen marshalling yard                            Bartley
    06 Sep 43  **     Serqueux marshalling yard                         Bartley
    07 Sep 43  Abort  St. Pol Marshalling Yard                          Toler
    08 Sep 43  **     Lille-Nord Airfield                               Tribby
    09 Sep 43  **     Boulogne area coastal defenses                    Tribby
    15 Sep 43  **     Merville Airfield                                 Tribby
    18 Sep 43  **     Beauvais-Tille Airfield                           Tribby
    18 Sep 43  Recall Beaument le Roger [Recalled by escort]            Tribby
    19 Sep 43  *      Lille-Nord Airfield                               Tribby
    23 Sep 43  **     Conches Airfield                                  Tribby
    24 Sep 43  Abort  Eveaux-Fauville Airfield                          Tribby
    25 Sep 43  **     St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield                     Tribby
    27 Sep 43  **     Beauvais-Tille Airfield                           Ulvestad
    26 Nov 43  **     Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield                           Tribby
    29 Nov 43  Recall Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield [Weather]                 Tribby
    01-Dec-43  **     Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield                           Swinney
    04-Dec-43  *      Chievres Airfield                                 Tribby
    21-Dec-43  NTO    Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site [Radio out]         Sanders
    22-Dec-43  Abort  Cormette V-1 site [Failed to make formation]      Morin
    30-Dec-43  **     Cocove V-1 site                                   Tyler
    04-Jan-44  Abort  Eclimeaux V-1 site [Electrical malfunction]       --?--
    07-Jan-44  *      La Glacerie coastal defenses                      Toler
    14-Jan-44  **     Liagnem V-1 site                                  Tribby
    23-Jan-44  **     Le Grismont V-1 site                              DeBolt
    24-Jan-44  **     Maison-Ponthieu V-1 site                          Tribby
    29-Jan-44  **     Beaulieu FME V-1 site                             Tribby
    03-Feb-44  Abort  Ruisseauville V-1 site [Tail turret out]          Heikkila
    05-Feb-44  *      Bois Rempre V-1 site                              Neilson
    08-Feb-44  **     Losterbarne-Ardes V-1 site                        Tribby
    08-Feb-44  **     Cambrai-Neirgnies Airfield                        Tribby
    09-Feb-44  **     Belleville en Caux V-1 site                       Tyler
    10-Feb-44  **     Poix Airfield                                     Swinney
    13-Feb-44  **     Hambures V-1 site                                 Sargent
    15-Feb-44  **     Chateau de Bosmelet V-1 site                      Sargent
    20-Feb-44  Abort  Eindhoven [No escort]                             Hill
    21-Feb-44  *      Soesterberg Airfield                              Thompson
    22-Feb-44  Abort  Soesterberg Airfield [Weather]                    Tribby
    24-Feb-44  **     Leeuwarden Airfield                               Tribby
    24-Feb-44  **     Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site                           Tribby
    25-Feb-44  **     Venlo Airfield                                    Sanders
    25-Feb-44  *      La Longueville V-1 site                           Sanders
    28-Feb-44  **     Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site                           Estes
    29-Feb-44  *      Behen V-1 site                                    Tribby
    01-Mar-44  **     Linghem V-1 Site                                  Tribby
    01-Mar-44  **     Amiens marshalling yard                           Tribby
    03-Mar-44  **     Montdidier Airfield                               Tribby
    04-Mar-44  *      Malines V-1 site                                  Tribby
    05-Mar-44  **     Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site                           James
    07-Mar-44  *      Aulnoye V-1 site                                  --?--
    08-Mar-44  Mishap Soesterberg Airfield [Collided w/Itsy Bitsy]      Sargent