Den 9. april 1944 styrtede
B17 42-39936 ned ved Meltofte på Lolland.
Se
Google Map p280.
Det var på hjemturen fra et bombetogt til Poznan (her).
Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver (navne fra MACR - Missing Air Crew Report):
"Under angreb fra flere FW 190 blev
flyets to inderste motorer skudt i brand, og den
midterste del af kroppen blev også ramt kraftigt, hvorved både navigator 2ndLt
William D. Abernathy og left waist gunner Raymond E. Raley omkom. - - -
De tre sidste (S/Sgt (Radio Operator) Timothy J. Nunan, S/Sgt (Ball Turret
Gunner)
Bernard H. Brand og S/Sgt (Tail Gunner) Oather G. Meese) sprang ud syd
for Tillitse, og efter kort tid blev de taget til
fange af tyskerne. - " (FT 86-91-25)
S/Sgt (Radio Operator) Timothy J. Nunan og S/Sgt
(Ball Turret Gunner) Bernard H. Brand kom ned på land tæt ved
hinanden. De holdt sig på fri fod nogle dage.
De blev arresteret, da de ville krydse Guldborgsundbroen.
De blev sendt til Tyske krigsfangelejre. Efter
forhør i Oberursel kom Brand til Stalag Luft 3. (Kilde: National Archives)
3 flyvere fra
B17 42-39936 blev begravet på Svinø, 1 på Agersø og 1
i Dannemare. 1 har ingen kendt grav. 4 blev krigsfanger.
Se
B-17 Flyvende
Fæstning
* B17 i airmen.dk *
tegning af
besætningen på en B-17.
10 flyvere.
On 9 April 1944
B17 42-39936 crashed near Meltofte on Lolland.
See
Google Map p280.
It was on the
return flight from a bombing raid on Poznan (here).
(Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes (names from MACR - Missing Air Crew
Report):
"The two inner engines of the plane caught fire after hits from a number of
attacking FW 190s.
Also the middle section of the fuselage was heavily hit and navigator
2ndLt William D. Abernathy and left waist gunner Raymond E. Raley perished.
- - - The last three (S/Sgt (Radio Operator) Timothy J. Nunan, S/Sgt (Ball
Turret
Gunner) Bernard H. Brand and S/Sgt (Tail Gunner) Oather G. Meese) bailed
out south of Tillitse. After a short while they were captured by the Germans.- "
(FT 86-91-25)
S/Sgt (Radio Operator) Timothy J. Nunan and S/Sgt
(Ball Turret Gunner) Bernard H. Brand came down on land close to each
other. They stayed at large for some
days. They were captured when they wanted to cross the Guldborgsund Bridge.
They were sent to
German POW-Camps.
After
interrogation at
Dulag Luft Oberursel Brand
was taken to Stalag Luft 3
(Source: National Archives)
3 airmen from
B17 42-39936 were buried in Svinø Churchyard, 1 in Agersø
and 1 in Dannemare Churchyard. 1 has no known grave. 4 became POWs.
This B-17 was
from 728 BS,
452 Bomb
Group (Heavy), 45 CBW, 3 BD. See
452nd Bombardment Group.
It took off from RAF
Deopham Green - USAAF Station 142. See also B17s in
airmen.dk and a
drawing of the crew of a
B-17.
10 airmen.
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