Lester Conklin                                                                                      Updated:  08 JUN 2015

Airman: e777229.htm Surname: Conklin Init: L Rank: S/Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 335

P_link: p185.htm Plane: B17 4229675 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Langelandsbælt

Crash_d: d130643 Buried_d: e777c C_link: e777c.htm At_Next: NO - CAM

Den 13. juni 1943 gik B17 42-29675 tabt (måske omkring her) i forbindelse med et bombeangreb på Kiel (her). Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:

"Den 13. juni 1943 angreb 60 B-17 fra USAAF ubådsanlæggene i Kiel. 16 B-17 fra 95. BG fløj forrest i formationen, der allerede blev angrebet under indflyvningen
til målet. Som sædvanlig angreb de tyske jagermaskiner især den forreste del af formationen, og inden denne havde passeret målet var 7-8 B-17 fra 95. BG gået tabt.
En B-17 ude af kontrol fløj ind i en anden, og kun 6 B-17 fra 95. BG nåede tilbage til basen, hvoraf en blev ødelagt under nødlanding.På grund af de voldsomme kamphandlinger observerede ingen i området tabet af dette fly. Få dage efter drev ligene af fire besætningsmedlemmer i land på sydkysten
af Lolland, og tabet var hermed en realitet." (FT 86-89-14)

Waist Gunner, Staff Sergeant Lester Conklin har ingen kendt grav. Hans navn findes på Tablets of the Missing,
Cambridge American Cemetery, England. Han kom i tjenesten fra Connecticut. Hæderstegn: Air Medal, Purple Heart. (Kilde: ABMC)

Se tegning af besætningen på en B-17, Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk samt B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition og Ball Turret Gunner.
B17 4229702 * B17 423286 * B17 4230118 * B17 4229675 * B17 423187 * B17 4230164 styrtede alle ned i dele af Østersøen. 10 flyvere.

On 13 June 1943 B17 42-29675 was lost (maybe about here) in connection with a bombing raid on Kiel (here). (Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:

"On 13 June 1943 60 B-17s from the USAAF attacked the U-boat installations in Kiel. 16 B-17s from 95th BG flew at the front in the formation which had already 
been attacked on their way to the target. As usual the German fighters particularly attacked the front of the formation. Before it had passed the target 7-8 B-17s from
95th BG were lost. One B-17 out of control crashed into another, and only 6 B-17s from 95th BG made it back to base - and one of them was destroyed in a
forced landing. Due to the violent battle nobody in the area observed this plane being lost. A few days later the bodies of 4 crew members were washed ashore on
the south coast of Lolland. Then the loss was a reality." (FT 86-89-14)

Waist Gunner, Staff Sergeant Lester Conklin has no known grave. His name is inscribed on Tablets of the Missing
at Cambridge American Cemetery, England. He entered the Service from Connecticut. Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart. (ABMC)

B17 4229702 * B17 423286 * B17 4230118 * B17 4229675 * B17 423187 * B17 4230164 all crashed in parts of the Baltic Sea.
See a drawing of the crew of a B-17, Photo of  a B-17 + B-17s in airmen.dk and B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner.
This B-17 Flying Fortress was from 335 BS, 95 BG, 13 CBW, 3 BD, 8 AF. See 95th Bomb Group (H) Memorials Foundation*Mission files*95th Bomb Group, Horham
It took off from RAF Framlingham (Parham) - USAAF Station 153. 10 airmen.