B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-37889

History of
B-17 43-37889

Delivered Cheyenne 1/6/44; Kearney 18/6/44; Grenier 30/6/44; Assigned: 601BS/398BG [3O-B] Nuthampstead 16/7/44; rep MIA 21/11/44 Pilot: Brown & Genung, AOC, re-ass 24/11/44; (38m) MIA Mannheim 20/1/45 w/Jim Mitchell, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Nelson Beyer (2KIA); Co-Pilot: Henry Skubik, Navigator: Byron Hughes, Bombardier: Evart Veech, Radio Operator: Chas Spear, Ball Turret Gunner: Island Brown, Waist Gunner: Russell Dick, Tail Gunner: Leon Mills (7POW); flak, forced landing Mechtersheim, near Speyer, Germany. MACR 11797.

Last updated: 1. March 2020

B-17 43-37889 Details

On the second approach to the target at Mannheim, Germany on 20 January 1945 out plane was trailing the squadron by approximately one-fourth mile. I was keeping a sharp watch out of the nose, trying to see the bombs go away when I saw a ship, presumably Lt. Mitchell, peel off from the formation and head to the right. I thought it strange, at the momentm because the flak had been light and inaccurate. The ship seemed to by under control, and I could see no sights of fire. I could have been wrong on the latter though because contrails were very dense and heavy. The last I saw of the ship, it was going into the clouds at a normal rate of descent.

2Lt. Nick Marabeas
Bombardier, B17G 42-107190

B-17 43-37889 Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 43-37889

1. https://www.ig-heimatforschung.de/luftkrieg/b-17-flying-fortress-43-37889-mechtersheim/