Produktionsblock:
B-17G-95-BO: 43-38674 bis 43-38873
Hersteller:
Boeing
- Bomber-Gruppe:
- 388th Bomb Group
- Bomber-Staffel:
- 563rd Bomb Squadron
MACR: 13723
Geschichte der
B-17 43-38869 / Paula Sue
Delivered Hunter 30/9/44; Dow Fd 11/10/44; Assigned 563BS/388BG Knettishall 17/10/44; Missing in Action Parchim, Ger 7/4/45 with Bob Bares, Jim Westbrook, Bob Sonnenberg, George Shantz, Sam Hinstead, Vernon Hofmann, Andy Strable, Dave Becker, Jesse Rorie, Bob Pedersen {rcm} (10 Killed in Action); rammed by enemy aircraft & hit by debris from aircraft above; crashed Steinhuden Meeres, Ger. PAULA SUE.
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 16. Mai 2017
B-17 43-38869 / Paula Sue Crew
| Position | Rang | Name | Status | Bemerkung |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Robert Franklin Bare | KIA | - |
| CP | F/O | James Duncan Westbrook | KIA | - |
| NAV | F/O | Robert Luther Sonnenberg | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | SGT | Samuel Poe Umstead | KIA | - |
| RO | SGT | Vernon F. Hofmann | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | Andrew Robert Strable | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | David Stanley Becker | KIA | - |
| TG | SGT | Jesse Bob Rorie Jr. | KIA | - |
| TOG | SGT | George (NMI) Shantz Jr. | KIA | - |
| RCM | --- | Robert C. Pederson | KIA | - |
12. August 2021 access_time 5:41
My uncle, my mother’s brother and my cousins father-Robert F Bare was the pilot of this B-17, it was I think their
Second mission.I would be grateful for any additional information.thanks in advance
01. Mai 2023 access_time 18:51
A relative of mine was on the Paula Sue when she went down. The aircraft was destroyed by a member of the Sonderkommando Elbe, although the original belief was that they were killed by a downed pilot, the ramming was intentional. Their bodies and the crash site were not located until 1946. After they were MIA, some of the mothers/wives wrote to each other during the year wait to find what happened, I’ve transcribed some of these letters that I have and would be happy to send you the one I have from Mrs. Bare (Robert Bare’s mother) if you post how I can reach you in reply to this message, I’ll try to send what I have.
02. Mai 2023 access_time 21:58
Here is some info I’ve gathered on Paula Sue and her downing, from public sources and from letters I have.
She and her crew were on a mission to bomb Kalteukirghen airfield, they were flying in the lead squadron on their second mission together (according to a letter from the parents). When passing in proximity to Linsburg, a ME-109 rammed the aircraft between the waist gun position and empennage. The forward section of the aircraft went into a flat spin and disintegrated on the way down, the tail ‘floated’ down according to the air crew report. No parachutes were seen, all airmen on board were MIA.
The aircraft was last seen in the vicinity of an area northwest of Hannover. The parents were notified on Apr28th, 1945 that they were MIA. It was initially believed that the ramming was ‘accidental’ and the pilot of a ME-109 that rammed them was killed, however it was later found that the Sonderkommando Elbe were responsible. They were specifically trained and formed to ram bombers and only flew on one day, Apr7 1945, the belief being that the German pilots would survive the encounter, which obviously wasn’t realistic.
I have no details on the wreckage, but I gather all but the empennage was disintegrated and scattered. The bodies of the crew were found in 3 different groups, the first group Sept/Oct 1945, the second early 1946 (Feb), and I have no details on the third group. My understanding is that the crew members in the aft portions of the aircraft were found first, then those along the impact site, followed by the crew in the front (pilot/copilot/etc). The letters I have stopped after early 1946, so I have no specifics on those in the forward part of the aircraft. Apparently locals had buried the crew, some were interred in Europe while others were returned to the US.
I have letters from a little over half the mothers of crew members, I have been successful over the years at locating some of the family members, but not others. I’ve transcribed and photographed the letters I have, any relatives or family members of the crew are welcome to reply to this post with an email address or other contact info, along with the name of the crew member, I will pass along whatever I have (if anything).