THE HISTORY OF THE
"JERSEY BOUNCE"

"The 303rd Bombardment Group (H),
an 8th Air Force B-17 "Flying Fortress" four engine bomber Group,
stationed at Molesworth, England, had two B-17's that carried the name
"Jersey Bounce"

B-17F #41-24539 "Jersey Bounce" 358th Bomb Squadron (VK-K)
Was an original 303rd BG(H) B-17 assigned to the Lt Robert J. Nolan Crew at Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, MI on 15 September 1942. The Lt Nolan Crew named their B-17 "Jersey Bounce" and flew it overseas arriving at Molesworth, England on 16 October 1942.

"Jersey Bounce" flew 14 combat missions with the 303rd BG(H).
It was transferred to the 384th Bombardment Group at Grafton Underwood, England on 22 September 1943 and was later determined to be unflyable due to damage and was salvaged.
The plane was labeled: "The hardest hit ship of the 358th Bombardment Squadron"
The picture below shows the 20 mm hole in the fuselage after the raid on Rouen, France December 12, 1942.

(Photo Courtesy of Margaret Wise)

For a complete history of the battle - please link to
Home of the Heroes - December 20, 1943

The Nolan Crew is the one who named this B-17 "Jersey Bounce"
See: http://www.303rdbga.com/lc038.html

Click here for a detailed description of the heroic actions of the crew of the 303rd "Jersey Bounce Jr."

B-17F #42-29664 "Jersey Bounce, Jr.", 358th Bomb Squadron (VK-C)
Was assigned to the 358th Bomb Squadron on 21 March 1943. Flew 32 combat missions. Ditched in the North Sea on 20 December 1943 and the 10 crewmen were rescued. On this mission T/Sgt Forest Vosler was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism.

See: http://www.303rdbg.com/h-MOH.html
http://www.303rdbg.com/saving-buske.html
http://www.303rdbg.com/art.html
(Painting "Courage of Eagles" by Ronald Wong)

Several other Bombardment Groups had four engine bombers named "Jersey Bounce"

B-17F #41-24515 "Jersey Bounce",
324th Bomb Squadron/91st Bomb Group (H) (DF-H)
Assigned to 91st BG(H) at Bangor, Maine on 2 September 1942 and arrived at their airfield at Bassingborn, England on 26 Septemnber 1942.
Ditched in the North Sea on 21 May 1943 - Ten crewmen were killed in action.

B-24 "Liberator" Bomber # 42-40609 "Jersey Bounce 2nd"
Assigned to the 330th Bomb Squadron/93rd BG(H) at Alconbury, England - unknown date. Lost to German fighters on 1 August 1943.

Three other Bombardment Groups also had B-17 Bombers named "Jersey Bounce" but details of their assignment and fate are unknown:

92nd BG(H) at Bovingdon, England
96th BG(H) at Grafton Underwood, England
447th BG(H) at Rattlesden, England

"The song title "Jersey Bounce", whose lyrics were written by Buddy Feyne, were used with pride on the above Mighty 8th Air Force bombers.

"Buddy Feyne's songs bring back a lot of wonderful memories."
Harry D. Gobrecht, Historian, 303rd BG(H) Association.

303rd Webmaster Gary Moncur has included a list of all the planes that had song titles as their names. For more info and to hear a midi of each song, check out http://www.303rdbg.com/music.html

B-17G #42-97284 Ain't Miss Bea Haven (359th BS) BN-C
Music by Thomas "Fats" Waller & Harry Brooks
Lyrics by Andy Razaf

B-17F #42-29894 Baltimore Bounce (359th BS) BN-X

B-17G #43-38891 Blues in the Night (359th BS) BN-H
By Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer

B-17F #41-24539 Jersey Bounce (358th BS) VK-K
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey Bounce, Jr. (358th BS) VK-C
Music by Myron (Tiny) Bradshaw, Edward Johnson, Bobby Plater
Lyrics by Buddy Feyne

B-17G #42-107002 Mairzy Doats (358th BS) VK-A
Song by Milton Drake, Dennis Livingston & Al Hoffman

B-17F #42-29791 Memphis Blues (358th BS) VK-B

B17-G #42-97893 Minnie the Moocher (360th BS) PU-M
Song by Cab Calloway

B-17F #42-29955 Mr. Five-by-Five (427th BS) GN-I
Song by Done Raye & Gene DePaul

B-17G #42-107206 Old Black Magic (359th BS) BN-R
By Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer

B-17F #41-24582 One O' Clock Jump (358th BS) VK-J
By William "Count" Basie

B-17G #42-97622 Paper Dollie (358th BS) VK-K
Music and Lyrics by Johnny Black

B-17G #42-31213 Pistol Packin Mama (359th BS) BN-Z
Music and Lyrics by Al Dexter

B-17G #42-31669 Shoo Shoo Baby (358th BS) VK-J
B-17G #42-97311 Shoo Shoo Baby aka Silver Fox (427th BS) GN-O
Music and Lyrics by Phil Moore

B-17F #42-3064 Star Dust (358th BS) VK-O
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

B-17G #42-32011 Sweet Adeline (427th BS) GN-A
Music by Jerome Kern - Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein

B-17F #42-5264 Yankee Doodle Dandy (358th BS) VK-J
Music and Lyrics by George M. Cohan

THANKS to HARRY GOBRECHT
and the entire 303rd BG(H) ASSOCIATION!!!
For their meritorious, intrepid and invaluable service in WWII
as well as for this amazing historical information!

THANKS to MARGARET WISE
For sharing her photo and her family history, as well as for her friendship.

For more information check out the
303rd BG(H) Association