B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 44-8634 / Ida Wanna

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 44-8634 / Ida Wanna

Manufacturer:
Lockheed/Vega

MACR: 14184

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History of
B-17 44-8634 / Ida Wanna

Delivered Lincoln 9/11/44; Grenier 3/12/44; Assigned: 728BS/452BG Deopham Green 6/12/44; 731BS; MIA Kaltenkirchen 7/4/45 Pilot: Dabney Sharp, Capt Doug Anderson, Carroll Gierde, Joe Stanfield, Jack Basor, Ellwood Fream, John Halbritter {tg} (7KIA); Arris Stephenson, Ralph DeCelle, Stephen Kiss {rcm} (3POW); Enemy aircraft, crashed Heide, Germany. MACR 14184. IDA WANNA.

Last updated: 6. April 2024

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B-17 44-8634 / Ida Wanna Details

Following statement obtained by S-2 Section, 452nd Bomb Group (H), at interrogation after return of mission:

A/C #8634, this Group, was hit by fighters in Steinhuder Lake Area but continued with the Group to Coast out point. One wing had been showing flame for about a half hour when at 1355 hours from 19000 feet, 54°20N -08°50E, the A/C with No. 4 feathered turned about and headed apparently for Sweden.


Interrogation of T/Sgt. Arvis D. Stephenson.

At approximately 0130 we hit the target and were proceeding back over the North Sea towards England, our home base. Approximately 23 minutes before we hit the target we were hit on the right side by a ME 109, which resulted in a fire on the right wing. This fire continued during the bomb run over the target, and as we headed for our home base at approximately 0208, the right wing snapped off and we immediately went into a spin. Capt. Anderson, who was the co-pilot was sitting right next to me at that moment. I was sitting in front of the nose escape hatch. I was jettisoned throught the door and pulled my rip cord at approximately 10000 feet. This was the last I saw of Capt. Anderson. Upon bailing out I landed five miles north of the coast of Pewlworn Island (note by Jing: Pellworm Island), located in the North Sea. It was necessary for me to swim about fifty yards to a sand bar. I was picked up about five and one-half hours later by a German patrol boat and returned to the Island.

In my opinion it was impossible for Capt. Anderson to escape for the reason that the plane was in a spin, with only one wing, the result being that when the plane crashed Capt. Anderson undoubtedly met his death. No information was given to me by the German patrols as to the whereabouts of the other members of the crew of the plane.

Source: MACR 14184


Remark to the crew

S/Sgt. Stephen A. Kiss, was assigned to B-17 43-38868 in MACR 13888. Which is incorrect. He and S/Sgt. Robert W. Pearce were switched or changed aircraft at the last moment.

The crew list below is the corrected listing.

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B-17 44-8634 / Ida Wanna Crew

Position Rank Name Status Note
P 1LT Dabney W. Sharp KIA
CP CPT Douglas P. Anderson KIA
ENG/TT T/SGT Arvis D. Stephenson POW
RO T/SGT Ralph W. DeCelle POW
BT S/SGT Jack Basor KIA
WG S/SGT Ellwood E. Fream KIA
TG S/SGT John F. Halbritter KIA
TOG T/SGT Joseph C. Stanfield KIA
RCM S/SGT Stephen A. Kiss POW

Catherine Potter Bartoli
31. January 2024 access_time 16:36

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