Backus, Alpheus, SSgt

Last Known Activity
Alpheus Peck Backus was born in Virginia on November 6, 1919. His parents were James R. and Bessie Backus. The US Census 1930 shows the family living in Port Chester, New York.

Backus enlisted in Hartford, Connecticut on October 31, 1941 as a private in the Army Air Forces. He had completed 3 years of high school, and he was employed as a retail manager.

He received training as an aerial gunner, and then was deployed to England. Shortly thereafter, some of the crews were transferred to Algeria. He was assigned to the Bruce crew, and flew 6 missions.

On November 28, 1942, the target was in the Bizerte, Tunisia area. While going to the target, the formation was attacked by enemy fighters. Bruce's plane was shot down by Feldwebel Anton Hafner of 4/JG51. It crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. There were no survivors nor any remains recovered.

SSgt Backus is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing in the North Africa American Cemetery in Carthage, Tunisia.


www.findagrave,con
www,ancestry.com
www.abmc.gov
www.301stbg.com/301st_bombardment_group.cfm
www.301st.com/missions_Macrs.cfm
US Census 1930
NARA Enlistment Records

 

Comments/Citation
SSgt Alpheus Backus was the assigned waist gunner (some accounts state ball turret gunner) on B-17F #41-24363, named "Bad Penny," assigned to the 32nd Bomb Squadron.

Missing Air Crew Report 16197 covers this event. Mission loading lists show the crew as:

Cpt John B. Bruce  p
2 Lt Robert Earl  c-p
2 Lt Charles Tannehill  nav
2 Lt Charles Knop  bomb
SSgt Henry P. Hughes, Jr.  eng/tt gun
Sgt  Leonard McGriffin  r/o
SSgt Alpheus Backus  wg
Sgt  Samuel Scott  wg
SSgt Merle Gilger  tail gun

Ranks and grades as of mission date.

SSgt Gilger's name is given as "Merle." All other sources state "Merril."

The only known photo of this crew was taken when King George VI met with them in 1942 in England.

The name "Bad Penny" comes from the axiom "A bad penny always comes back."