looking for Macr 3557 (41-24544)

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Details in vol 1 of "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces".
page 72.
B17F-25-BO
41-24544
"OR-L"
"Pennsylvania Polka"
91BG/323BS
MACR 3557 & 4635
T/O Bassingbourn assigned target Hamm, but heavy cloud forced a change of target to the I/A of Emden.
Attacked by fighters, including twin engined ME110's and JU88's for the first time.
On the return flight a/c was last seen shortly after 1240hrs about 12 miles north-west of the western tip Terschelling Island.
Crashed into the North Sea in that area.
None of the bodies were recovered.
Three are commemorated on thhe WOM at Cambridge Cemetery and seven on the WOM Netherlands Cemetery. 10 KIA.
Note;- In November 1952 a Bible belonging to T/Sgt. Wheeler was found in a field at Dortmund-Hacheney by Mrs Maria Hillebrand. The Bible and a flying vest must have been in the possesion of a crew member on B17F 42-5077 also from the 322nd BS which was shot down and crashed due south of Dortmund on 12th August 1943.
42-5077 was "OR-T", "Delta Rebel No 2". 4 KIA, 6 POW.
Alex