Production-block:
B-17G-35-BO: 42-31932 to 42-32116
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 92nd Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 407th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: PU-Y
MACR: 7408
History of
B-17 42-31984
Delivered Cheyenne 13/1/44; Kearney 18/1/44; Grenier 1/2/44; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-U] Podington 2/3/44; Missing in Action Dessau 20/7/44 with Bill Stein, Co-pilot: Rozelle Kennedy, Navigator: Bill Clerkin, Radio Operator: John Kocon (4 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Herb Burbank, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jetty Cook, Ball turret gunner: Stan Jones, Waist gunner: Fred Noble,Tail gunner: Melvin Crouch (5 evaded capture); flak KO’d two engines, then 3rd went out, crew bailed, crashed Leopoldsburg, Bel; Missing Air Crew Report 7408. BERLIN SPECIAL.
Last updated: 24. January 2018
B-17 42-31984 Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | William H. Stein | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Rozelle Kennedy | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | William J. Clerkin | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Herbert A. Burbank | EVD | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Jetty R. Cook | EVD | - |
| RO | S/SGT | John O. Kocon | POW | - |
| BT | SGT | Stanley R. Jones | EVD | - |
| WG | SGT | Frederick E. Noble | EVD | - |
| TG | SGT | Melvin L. Crouch | EVD | - |
23. February 2024 access_time 19:45
My late father (Thomas R. Witt, radio operator) and his crew took this new plane overseas in April 1944. They started their combat missions on April 20th. This plane was damaged off and on. According to his log book entry this plane was knock out of formation on June 20th, 1944 on a mission to Hamburg. It returned to base full of holes. My father and most of the original crew finished up on other aircraft. On July 17th my father flew his last mission. 3 days later written in his log book was an entry that this plane ( “Berlin Special) with a different crew was lost. This was the Siein crew. My father’s last comment was “we finished just in time”.