B 17F 42-5221 - The Baltic Sea                                                            Updated: 08 AUG 2021

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
e556034.htm Bruce R V 2ndLt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e556a e556a.htm Ardennes, B
e667041.htm Clifford B J 2ndLt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e667 e667.htm USA
u079001.htm Dyke A A T/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 b201143 c079.htm Rødby
e777666.htm Gale C L S/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
e777664.htm Hartzog F G T/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
u014281.htm Heller W O S/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 b111111 c014.htm Esbjerg
e777667.htm Horning A E S/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
e777663.htm Jahn C O 2ndLt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
e777668.htm McLarty J L S/Sgt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
e777665.htm Stata C M 2ndLt USAAF 427 p236.htm B17 425221 Bomb G The Baltic Sea d091043 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM


"Den 9. oktober 1943 angreb USAAF med 378 4-motorede bombefly flyfabrikker i den østlige del af Polen og Østpreussen, samt havnefaciliteter i Gdynia
og Danzig (Gdansk)..Både på udturen og hjemturen passerede formationerne Danmark, hvor tyske jagermaskiner angreb bomberne." (FAF) Mere i p236MACR.

Under et bombetogt til Anklam (her) i Tyskland den 9. oktober 1943 styrtede en ”Flyvende Fæstning” B17 42-5221 i Østersøen syd for Lolland, måske omkring her. Tilsyneladende omkom hele besætningen, 10 mand.

Liget af flyets maskinist, A.A. Dyke, blev den 19. november 1943 fundet 4 sømil fra Rødbyhavn af fisker Viggo Hansen, Nysted, i kutter N. 52 ”Minna”. Flyveren blev begravet den 20. november 1943 af katolsk præst Klessens fra Maribo. Flyets haleskytte, W.O. Heller, blev begravet i Esbjerg. Usikker begravelsesdato. Kan evt.
være drevet ind et sted på Jyllands østkyst. (Kilde: FAF)

"Sidste flyvning i kamp: Mission #76, 9. oktober 1944 til Anklam, Tyskland i B-17F 42-5221 Son (427BS) BN-Z. Blev sidst set at være ramt af 20 mm kanonild fra en
formation af 3 FW-190, der fløj ved siden af hinanden. Den omtrentlige position var ved den danske kyst i en højde af 8.000 fod. Motor 3 var i brand og propellen var
kantstillet. Da hjulene blev sænket, holdt angrebene fra jagerne op. Denne B-17 styrtede i Østersøen syd for Lolland, Danmark. Hele besætningen på 10 mand blev
dræbt i kamp. Lt Bruce og T/Sgt Dyke er begravet i Ardennes American Cemetery nær Liege, Belgien."
(Efterforsket af historiker Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rd Bomb Group (H) )

7 flyvere fra B17 42-5221 har ingen kendt grav. 1 blev begravet i Tyskland, 1 i Rødby og 1 i Esbjerg. Alle 3 blev senere flyttet til Belgien eller USA.
Se B-17 Flyvende Fæstning * B17 i airmen.dk * tegning af besætningen på en B-17. 10 flyvere.

"On 9 October 1943 USAAF attacked aircraft factories in the eastern part of Poland and East Preussia together with harbour facilities in  Gdynia and
Danzig (Gdansk) with 378 4-engined bombers. Both on the way out and the return flight the formations passed Denmark, where German fighters attacked the bombers." (FAF) More in p236MACR.

During a bombing raid to Anklam (here) in Germany on 9 October 1943 a ”Flying Fortress” B17 42-5221 crashed in the Baltic Sea south of Lolland, maybe about here. Apparently all of the crew, 10 men, perished.

The body of Flight Engineer A.A. Dyke was found on 19 November 1943  4 nautical miles from Rødbyhavn by fisherman Viggo Hansen, Nysted, in cutter N. 52 Minna.
The airman was buried on 20 November, 1943 by Catholic priest Klessens from Maribo. The Tail Gunner W.O. Heller was buried in Esbjerg. Uncertain date of burial.
May have drifted in somewhere on the east coast of Jutland. (Source: FAF)

"Last Combat Mission: Mission #76, 9 October 1944 to Anklam, Germany in B-17F 42-5221 Son (427BS) BN-Z. Was last seen to be hit by 20 mm cannon fire from
a formation of three FW-190s flying abreast. The approximate position was at the Danish coast at 8,000 feet altitude. The #3 engine was on fire and feathered.
When the wheels were let down the fighter attacks ceased. The B-17 crashed in the Baltic Sea south of Lolland, Denmark. The entire crew of ten men were killed in action. Lt Bruce and T/Sgt Dyke are buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery near Liege, Belgium."
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rd Bomb Group (H)]

7 airmen from B17 42-5221 have no known grave. 1 was buried in Germany, 1 in Rødby and 1 in Esbjerg. All 3 of them were later moved to Belgium or the USA.
This B-17 belonged to 427 BS, 303 BG, 41 CBW, 1 BD, 8 AF of USAAF. It took off from RAF Molesworth - USAAF Station 107.
See 303rd Bomb Group Heavy with the Mission Report No. 76 of Oct 9 1943 about this crew  and  B17s in airmen.dk and a drawing of the crew of a B-17. 10 airmen.