B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-5832 / War Bird II

History of
B-17 42-5832 / War Bird II

Delivered Long Beach 8/3/43; Denver 13/3/43; Salina 28/3/43; Assigned 348BS/99BG Navarin 26/4/43; Oudna 4/8/43; Tortorella 11/12/43; Missing in Action Innsbruck 19/12/43, with Cyril Stidd, Selander, Kozumplik, Green, Campbell, Carollo, Donley (7 Prisoner of War); Brown, Garcia, Mabante (3 Killed in Action); crashed Innsbruck, Ger.; Missing Air Crew Report 1527. WAR BIRD II.

Last updated: 25. July 2020

B-17 42-5832 / War Bird II Details

Eyewitness Statement from MACR 1527

I was tail gunner on December 19, 1943, in ship 178 on the mission to Innsbruck, Austria. We were in position number three of the lead element. I saw ship 832 start to straggle behind shortly after leaving target. It was about 2500 yards to our rear when it was attacked by two Me 109’s. After the initial attack on fellow bailed out, then in about twenty seconds, another. The ship then started to lose altitude fast and six others bailed out. The ship then went into a dive and spin and broke in half at the center; rear of the radio room. The ship then disappeared into the clouds. There was a break in the clouds and we were still over snow covered mountains which I believed to be Austria.

Sgt. James R. Cramer

B-17 42-5832 / War Bird II Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 42-5832 / War Bird II

1. https://www.fold3.com/page/638218213-james-a-mabante/stories
2. https://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2020/07/ww2-fallen-b-17-waist-gunner-james.html