Source:
303rdbg.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-30-BO 42-31732 to 42-31931 |
| Delievered: | Cheyenne |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 303rd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 427th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL: | GN-R |
| MACR: | 3475 |
| German Document: | KU-1225 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (26 March 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-31929 / Tennessee Hillbilly
Delivered Cheyenne 7/1/44; Gr Island 15/1/44; Presque Is 21/2/44; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-R] Molesworth 1/3/44; Missing in Action Pas de Calais 26/3/44 with Chas Mars, Co-pilot: Bill Dallas, Navigator: George Arvanites, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ray Foster, Radio Operator: Ed McGinnis, Ball turret gunner: Chas Dunlap, Waist gunner: Alby Senechal, Waist gunner: Dolbert Nivens,Tail gunner: Vince Agione (9 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Conrad Kersch (EVD-ret UK after D-Day); flak, crashed Cote de l’Haeneberg, Lederzeele, three miles N of Omer, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 3475. TENNESSEE HILLBILLY.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 42-31929 / Tennessee Hillbilly Details
I was the tail gunner on aircraft 42-39875 which was the lead ship in the lead squadron. Aircraft 42-31929, the missing aircraft, was flying in #3 position in the squadron as indicated in the diagram of the formation below.
Aircraft 42-31929 was hit by anti-aircraft gunfire just a few seconds before bombs away. It then peeled off to the right passing under #4 position and went into a shallow glide. About thirty (30) seconds later four parachutes came out and opened as soon as they had cleared the slip stream. About (30) thirty seconds after that two more came out. One dropped from about 19,000 feet to about 15,000 feet before it opened, and the other dropped to about 17,000 feet. The ball turret gunner on my Aircraft then reported that one more parachute came out. The man in this parachute apparently made a long delayed jump because the parachute did not open for some time after it left the Aircraft.
The Aircraft then nosed down in a half spin with the left wing on fire. Then the left wing tip fell off. The Aircraft made a three-quarters turn after which it exploded in the air. Just at this time another parachute came out and opened. Although parts of the Aircraft were all around it, the parachute did not seem to be hit.
Altogether eight parachutes were seen to come out of Aircraft 42-31929 before it blew up. The incident took place in the vicinity of Wizernes, France which is a few miles southwest of St. Omer.
2nd Lt. Dallas E. Kendall
Source: MACR 3475
Aircraft damage: 2 engines (inboards) knocked out by flak shrapnel, No.4 Engine fired by flak burst during bombing run – dropped bombs on time and target before leaving formation. All men left ship.
Delayed jump 21,000 ft. ran into woods pursued by 12-13 Germans evaded them by running out of woods hiding in a hedge for 6 hours. People took me in for the night. Next day went to St. Omer train station and bought ticket for Lille. My captured crew showed up at station. To avoid recognition missed train on purpose. Returned to same house – Patriot underground took charge of me that night (27-3-44) Advised by underground impossible to make spanish border. Later joined FFI, sabotage battled with German troops, etc. upon Liberation reported to British authorities and hence to proper authorities.
T/Sgt. Conrad J. Kersch
Source: Escape and Evasion Report 2225
B-17 42-31929 / Tennessee Hillbilly Crew
| Position | Rank | Name (First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name) | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Charles W. Mars | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | William J. Dallas | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Geroge L. Arvantes | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Raymond L. Foster | POW | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Eddie McGinnis | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Charles W. Dunlap, Jr. | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Albert J. Senechal | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Delbert S. Nivens | POW | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Vincent A. Angione | POW | - |
| TOG | T/SGT | Conrad J. Kersch | EVD | - |
This page was last updated on 05 April 2026
24. December 2022 access_time 5:02
My Father was a new member replacing the bombardier when the Tennessee Hillbilly was shot down. TSGT Conrad John Kersch gave his story & it is posted at the American Air Museum in Britian website. I gave them 10 more photos. My Father wrote 2 books, DeGroote & Java Diary, completed in 1987 but was told to get a ghostwriter to remove repetition, smooth out, and have the action at the beginning move along. Due to the cost of a ghostwriter, he didn’t get in published. I did genealogy getting the Kersch/Kirsch family history back to 1708. Then spent time getting actual documents to clear up my Father’s childhood. Even went to Court East Moline, Clark County, IL to get my Grandfather’s asylum records for having Mad Hatter diseased caused by breathing mercury fumes which lead to alcoholism. He died in the asylum 1932. I got my Father’s 2nd book DeGroote that was in story form to print & the publisher, Red Engine Press, put it on amazon.com. Just finished his 1st book printed by the publisher but after the expense of DeGroote just had Java Diary printed for friends & family and didn’t sell. The back of both books has my Father’s bio and brief on his 3 sons. I think he has memorabilia that he donated to 3 museums: America Air Musuem in Britian; 8th AF Musuem in Florida; & I think one near Albuquerque, NM where the B-17 crews trained for the 19th Bomber Group before being stationed in the Pacific. Only 28 survived WWII. It would be nice to find out what he donated to these museums like gear & photos so I can answer Copyright Office questions for the Java Diary book.