Anthony LaRusso                                                                                 Updated:  01 JAN 2012

Airman: o888354.htm Surname: LaRusso Init: A Rank: Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 729

P_link: p282.htm Plane: B17 42-32070 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Ryde at Græshave

Crash_d: d090444 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

  Mere end 500 amerikanske bombefly var den 9. april 1944 på bombetogt til Polen og Tyskland. Se 8 af de tabte fly:  Google Map 9APR1944.
Den korte version: Den 9. april 1944 blev B17 42-32070 ramt af flak over målet, da det var på bombetogt til Poznan her. På vejen tilbage blev flyet angrebet af tyske jagere og nødlandede omkring her ved Ryde på Lolland. Alle 10 flyvere overlevede. 4 af dem nåede Sverige med hjælp fra mange danskere. Se Google Map p282 B17-4232070.

Se den lange version med det fulde citat fra Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift og Halfdan Rasmussen og 2 flyvere.

"Af de ni besætningsmedlemmer, der flygtede, blev tre (2nd Lt (Pilot) Joseph R. Patterson, 2nd Lt (Bombardier) Douglas N. Galloway og S/Sgt (Top Turret Gunner Nielan J. Smith (Kilde: AOD)), taget til fange af tyskerne i en garage i Sakskøbing (her) den 10. april, medens to andre (S/Sgt (Right Waist Gunner) Alfred H. Dickmann og Sgt (Tail Gunner) Anthony LaRusso (Kilde: AOD)) blev taget til fange i nærheden af nødlandingsstedet." (FT 86-91-26)

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. 10 flyvere.

On 9 April 1944 more than 500 American bombers were on a bombing raid on Poland and Germany. See 8 of the lost planes: Google Map 9APR1944.
The short version: On 9 April 1944 B17 42-32070 was hit by flak over the target, when it was on a bombing raid to Poznan here. On the return flight it was attacked by German fighters and made a forced landing about here at Ryde on Lolland. All 10 airmen survived.
4 of them reached Sweden with the help of many Danes. See Google Map p282 B17-4232070.

See the long version with the complete quotation from (Danish) Aviation Historical Review (Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift) and Halfdan Rasmussen and 2 airmen.

"Of the 9 crew members who fled, three (2nd Lt (Pilot) Joseph R. Patterson, 2nd Lt (Bombardier) Douglas N. Galloway and S/Sgt (Top Turret Gunner Nielan J. Smith (Source: AOD)) were caught by the Germans in a garage in Sakskøbing (here) on 10 April while two others (S/Sgt (Right Waist Gunner) Alfred H. Dickmann and Sgt (Tail Gunner) Anthony LaRusso (Source: AOD)) were taken prisoners near the spot of the forced landing." (FT 86-91-26)

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 belonged to 729 BS, 452 BG, 45 CBW, 3 BD, 8 AF. It took off from Deopham Green Airfield - RAF Deopham Green - USAAF Station 142. 10 airmen.