Re: B-17 42-97599 forced landed in Belgium
 

Scott and Alain57,

I think something is messed up in the 390th BG database. There is a way to see a bombardier Charles C Nielsen listed, with 18 missions listed, but it does not show, for example, the 9/25/44 mission. See this link:

http://www.390thspace.com/missions.p...%20Charles%20C

When you search just for the name "Nielsen" on their database you don't find Charles C Nielsen at all, yet he does appear in the mission list above.

You can also compare Nielsen's missions to McKnight's: http://www.390thspace.com/missions.p...t,%20James%20T

and see some matches on some of the dates and planes. I think perhaps that both men flew primarily pathfinder missions.

Another odd thing about Nielsen is that he is listed as a 2nd Lt on the postwar (1946?) Cook county casualty lists:

https://nara-media-001.s3.amazonaws....8/28-2751a.gif

but as a 1st Lt in the 1947 Chicago Tribune newspaper article cited in his find-a-grave posting:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22302819/

Perhaps there was a promotion in process at the time of his death?

I think one error on the 390th site is that they just put the "wrong" "Nielsen" on the 9/25/44 mission, but the inability of just finding Charles C Nielsen listed in the roster is another problem. I will try to contact the site.

Re: B-17 42-97599 forced landed in Belgium
 

Rolland, it is the "wrong" "Neilson, Charles M" the 390th site has listed for this mission. Also on this page I think it was my error, next to CREW PFC = Path Finder Crew?, not the rank Private First Class. That said, finding a Neilson, Charles M has proved impossible for me, not sure he exists.:

http://www.390thspace.com/missions.p...n%2C+Charles+M

Here is the IARC for 42-97599. The stop at the Langley, VA Mod center is an indication of a PFF ship.