B-17f #42-30203 388th B/G, 560th B/S

[kdkutt]

ON 6TH SEPTEMBER,1943, B-17F #42-30203 WAS RETURNING FROM A MISSION TO STUTTGART, GERMANY. WHEN THE BOMBER STREAM BROKE UP, THERE WAS EXTREME CLOUD COVER, AND TO MUCH SMOKE FROM THE SMOKE POTS SURRONDING STUTTGART. THEY INSTEAD BOMBED TARGETS OF OPPERTUNITY IN STRAOSBORG, FRANCE. COMMING BACK THROUGH FRANCE, THEY WERE ATTACKED BY ABOUT 50 GERMAN FIGHTERS. THEIR APPROXIMATE POSITION WAS BETWEEN STRAOUSBURG AND PARIS. THE 388TH GROUP TOOK HEAVY LOSES. OUT OF 21 B-17'S, THE 388TH LOST 11 AIRCRAFT. MY UNCLE WAS THE RADIO OPERATOR ON #42-30203.
I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO SHOT DOWN THIS BOMBER, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO 4 OF THE CREWMENBERS. 3 WERE CAPTURED, 3 (INCLUDING MY UNCLE)ESCAPED WITH THE FRENCH RESISTANCE. ALL CREWMEMBERS WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BAILED OUT. MY UNCLE LANDED NEAR COUDRAY, FRANCE. THE PILOT(ROY MOHR), COPILOT(ELMER F. SCHULZ), ENGINEER(HARTZELL JONES),AND THE BALL TURRANT GUNNER(BERNARD BECKER), WERE NEVER TO BE SEEN, OR HEARD FROM AGAIN. IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT KDKUTT@AOL.COM.

[Alex Smart]

Hi ,

Afraid all a quick search has found 4 KIA 6 POW.

Will look further. Aircraft name "Shack-Up".

MACR number is 3126

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hi again,


From "The Mighty 8th Combat Chronology Supplement" by Andrews & Adams

Lt. Robert H. Mohr jr - KIA - Forest Park, IL.
2Lt. Elmer F. Schulz - KIA - Yuton, NE.
Lt. James G. Shilliday - POW - Pittsburgh, PA.
Lt. Roland A. Marean - POW - Newark Valley, NY.
T/Sgt. Hartzell H. Jones - KIA - Tosale, UT.
T/Sgt. Halleck H. Hasson - POW - New Castle, PA.
S/Sgt. Bernard A. Becker - KIA - Benson, KS.
S/Sgt. Robert W. Wallin - POW - St. Paul, MN.
S/Sgt. Roderic C. Beckman - POW - Los Angeles, CA.
S/Sgt. Robert R. Ammarell - POW/REP - Reading, PA.

Will keep looking.

All for now

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Have we already looked into this before ?

I have found scraps of paper on this search .

With Hptm. Kurt Búhligen, StabII/JG2 - Vailly, NNE Troyes - 09.48.

From ABMC pages ( IIRC) I have -

O-740947 -Schulz - Lorraaine - date given as Aug 10th 1945.
O-39241144 - Jones - Brittany - date given as Aug 10th 1945.
O-17020056 - Becker - Lorraine - date given as Aug 10th 1945.

IIRC these men are either buried or remembered as MIA's at the Cemetries named .

Alex

[Charg55]

I have several pictures of aircraft and people of the 388th , I could only upload a small portion of them.

[loiclemarchand]

Hello Charg55,

Have you got picture(s) about this ship #42-30203 and her crew ?

Thanks
Loic