Walter Oesau investigating a victory

[kaki3152]

A picture of (supposedly) Walter Oesau investigating one of his victims, which appears to be a B-26 Marauder. Any ideas?

[Johannes]

Hi

Oesau never claimed any B-26's, and I wouldn't expect him to have.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Chris Goss]

Not convinced with the resemblance either

[RT]

Probably not a Marauder, pants are looking as 1940/41 fashion

Rémi

[edwest2]

The skull with the lightning tongue is in a French art style. I don't know who the man in the photo is.

[Revi16]

Your photo is of a B-17 tail gun position.
https://www.worldwarphotos.info/wp-c...s_Position.jpg

[Red Baroness]

Yes, that is Walt and yes, that is a B-17. I don't have any more information as to which and what time, but I am assuming 1943-ish, give or take.
As for the pants - that's again a Walt trait. He wasn't fond of change, so he'd more than likely be in clothes from earlier years. Took an order from higher up to get him to switch to the FockeWulf, so it would be assumed he'd be the same kind of twerp regarding his clothes.

[edwest2]

Interesting. I was thinking he might be a technical inspector. He has a white glove on one hand, which is holding a device, and a cigarette in the other.

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Considering the difficulty in dispatching a B-17, I would suggest they are checking the damage for research. Doesn't mean it is Oesau's "kill", but he had confirmed claims for B-17's on:-

20th December 1942 X 2
4th April 1943
29th May 1943
30th January 1944 X 2
10th February 1944
22nd February 1944 X 2
24th February 1944
25th February 1944
6th March 1944

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Nick Hector]

Here's what I can add, just as a straight copy-past from my database....

20.12.42/1230
B-17F-30-BO Flying Fortress
Melun @ 5000-6000m
This was most likely a claim for 42-5071 of 367th BS, 306th BG. 1/Lt. Danton J Nygaard and one other POW, one evaded and 7 KIA (also claimed by Oblt. Horst Maier-ten-Doornkaat)

20.12.42/1353
B-17 Flying Fortress
20km NNW of Dieppe @ 5000-3500m
Possibly claimed against 303rd BG

4.4.43/1430
B-17F Flying Fortress
W of St. Pierre-les-Elbeuf @ 6500m
303rd or 305th BG. 303rd's include B-17F 41-24609/BN-Q "Holy Mackeral" of the 359th BS (to fighters near Rouen, 6 KIA & 4 POW) and the 427th BS lost B-17F-25-BO 41-24569 "Memphis Tot" to fighters over Zwolle

29.5.43/1725
B-17 Flying Fortress
PQ 3831/14 West @ 7-8000m
360th BS, 303rd BG lost B-17F-27-BO 41-24602/PU-A "Yardbird" of 1/Lt. Joseph E Trojan and 7 others POW, remaining 2 crewmen both KIA (already damaged by Flak). 422nd BS, 305th BG lost B-17F-35-BO 41-29531/JJ-Z of 1/Lt. Marshall R Peterson and crew all POW except one man KIA. 509th BS, 351st BG lost B-17F-35-BO 42-29838/RQ-U "The Concho Clipper" of 1/Lt. Colonel J Russell Jr and 5 others POW, remaining 4 crewmen all KIA (already damaged by Flak. 88 shell took out ball turret). 525th BS, 379th BG lost B-17F-25-DL 42-3113/FR-F of 1/Lt. Arthur P Hale and crew all POW. 410th BS, 94th BG lost B-17F-65-BO 41-29476/GL- of 1/Lt. Max L Hecox and crew all KIA except one man POW plus 42-29692/GL- of 1/Lt. Merle E Brown and crew all KIA except one man POW. 335th BS, 95th BG lost B-17F-65-BO 42-29689/OE-H of Lt. Cody U Watson and 4 others evaded, 5 POW (attributed to collision with a fighter). 337th BS, 96th BG lost B-17F-20-DL 42-3042/AW- of 1/Lt. Jack L McMath and 6 others KIA, remaining 3 crewmen all POW to Fw190


30.1.44/1200
B-17 Flying Fortress
301st BG lost B-17G-15-BO 42-31424 of 353rd BS
351st BG lost B-17F-75-DL 42-3509 "the Crystal Ball" of 511th BS, 1/Lt. Charles E Robertson and crew all POW except one man KIA over Hengelo due to flak and fighters
379th BG lost B-17G-20-BO 42-31535/FO-Y 1/Lt. Kenneth D Adams and crew all POW, 1 KIA (bie Essern (Minden)), plus B-17F-25-DL 42-3325/WA-Y "Paddy Gremlin" of 524th BS, 2/Lt. Kenneth Davis and crew all POW. 526th BS lost 42-31692/LF-F of 1/Lt. Frank E Upson and 1 other POW, 8 KIA
381st BG lost B-17F-65-BOs 42-29761/VP-W "Martha the II" of 533rd BS, 1/Lt. Henry D Steele and 5 others POW, 4 KIA over Deurne, Belgium; whilst 535th BS lost B-17F-80-BO 42-30029 "Chaps Flying Circus" 1/Lt. Carl O Baer all KIA, damaged by fighters and ditched in the North Sea and B-17G-1-BO 42-31047/MS-T "Wolverine" (aka "Little Duchess") crew of 2/Lt Robert P Deering 8 men KIA and 2 POW (attributed to fighters NE of Ottbergen, 6 miles E of Hildesheim)
384th BG lost B-17G-10-DL 42-37727, and B-17F-50-BOs 42-5404/JD-M "The Geezil", 2/Lt. Horace F Writz and 2 others POW, 7 KIA
401st BG lost B-17G-15-DL 42-37856/SC-B "Fancy Nancy III" of 612th BS, definitely to an Fw190. 2/Lt. Ronald Roger Rohner and 4 others KIA remaining 5 crewmen all POW near Beinrode around 1204 (one source says 1145)

30.1.44/1220
B-17 Flying Fortress eV
447th BG lost B-17G-5-BO 42-31146 of 708th BS, 1/Lt. Merten C Putnam and 7 others POW, 2 KIA at Weeze, S of Goch/near Gladbach (engine trouble, followed by Flak, finished by fighters) Was this it?


10.2.44/1255
B-17 Flying Fortress
E of Zwolle/S of Coevorden (PQ S/FO or FQ-4) @ 6000m
94th BG lost B-17F-100-BO 42-30378/QE- "Good Time Cholley III", 2/Lt. Alton D Anderson and crew all POW; B-17G-1-BO 42-31080 "Hey Moitle", 2/Lt. Paul A MacWilliam and 4 others KIA, 5 POW and B-17G-10-VE 42-39984/QE- of 2/Lt. Frederick E Barker and 5 others POW, 4 KIA Liebenau, all of 331st BS. 333rd BS lost B-17G-30-BO 42-31838/TS- of 2/Lt. William S Gingold and 6 others POW, 3 KIA.
95th BG B-17G-1-BO 42-31054/QW-Q "Irish Luck" of 412th BS, 2/Lt. Clark A Huddleston and crew all POW except 1 KIA plus B-17G-25-BO 42-31658/BG-G of 334th BS, 2/Lt. James J Kelly and 6 others POW, 3 KIA and B-17G-15-VE 42-97447/BG-E of 334th BS. 335th BS lost 42-37971/OE-W of 1/Lt. Anthony M Tuberose and 7 others POW, 2 KIA. 96th BG lost B-17G-20-BO 42-31492/MZ- "Discoveree" of 413th BS, F/O Emanuel Magilavy and crew all POW except 1 man KIA SW of Nienburg. 97th BG lost B-17G-20-BO 42-31489 of 414th BS. 100th BG lost B-17F-85-BO 42-30062/LD-O "Bastard's Bungalow" of 418th BS, 1/Lt. Arthur E Scoggins KIA, rest of crew all POW. 390th BG lost B-17G-5-BO 42-31218/FC-E "ETO- It is" of 571st BS, 1/Lt. John G Burke and 6 others POW, 1 KIA and 2 evaded. 447th BG lost B-17G-1-BO 42-31096 "the Squirming Squaw" of 711th BS, crew of Lt. John G Jellison all POW (8th & 9th losses doesn't state cause, another says definitely to fighters) plus 42-31167 of 710th BS, 1/Lt. Philip D Beall and 4 others POW, 5 KIA
452nd BG lost B-17G-15-BO 42-31338 "Hard to Get" of 728th BS. 2/Lt. Kenneth D Smith and 6 others POW, 3 KIA plus B-17G-20-DL 42-37960 "Delta Girl" of unspecified BS, down near Dankern
Another loss from 731st BS was B-17G-20-DL 42-37950 "Dinah Might", 2/Lt. Thomas F Sharpless and crew all POW except one man evaded near the Zuider Zee

22.2.44/1336 and 1525
2 x B-17s
1st BD, 8th AAF. 38 losses


6.3.44/1215-1220
B-17G-10-BO Flying Fortress
S of Delmenhorst/Vechta area (PQ ER to FR) @ 3000m
Likely 42-31251/BG-P of 334th BS, 95th BG. 1/Lt. Thomas T Keasby and crew all POW


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