B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-38148

History of
B-17 43-38148

Delivered Cheyenne 30/6/44; Kearney 11/7/44; Grenier 1/8/44; Assigned: 549BS/385BG [XA-W] Gt Ashfield 3/8/44; MIA Dresden 2/3/45 Pilot: Leon Tripp, Ed Gildea, Dan Machiewicz, Leon Deziel, Francis Wiemerslage, Bob McCaulay, Henrt Koshemina (7KIA); Elmer Batz, Dick Walters (2POW); Enemy aircraft, crashed Jueledorf, Germany. MACR 12856.

Last updated: 17. October 2021

B-17 43-38148 Details

Eyewitness Statements from MACR 12856

Approximately 15 to 20 enemy aircraft made attacks from tail on low squadron. Aircraft 43-38148 was hit by enemy aircraft cannon fire and dove down into clouds out of control. No chutes were seen. Clouds were at about 18000 feet altitude. Some reports indicate that aircraft was on fire as it went into clouds.

The following is a statement of Edward L. Batz, Co-Pilot of B-17 43-38148

I regret to say that I cannot give any information about the rest of my crew; to the best of my knowledge they are dead. I saw only one member of the crew, Sergeant Richard J. Walters, and he was alive and well.

On 2 March 1945, our target was Dresden, Germany, we were at 25000 feet on our way to the target equidistant between Berlin and Leipsig [sic], German, when we were attacked by enemy fighters. There were several fires on the ship and the controls were evidently shot out, because the ship would not respond. The bail out order was given both by bell and by interphone. After the crew had ample time to get out, I went down to the nose escape hatch, finding the engineer sitting beside it because it was jammed. I reached over to pull the emergency release handle when the ship rolled over and blew up. The explosion knocked me unconcious. When I recovered I was falling free, I waited and pulled my chute. I was taken prisoner of war two hours later.

Edward L. Batz

B-17 43-38148 Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 43-38148

1. https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000RlYOKEA3