B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-107000 / Princess No No

History of
B-17 42-107000 / Princess No No

B-17 42-107000 / Princess No No Details

Eyewitness Statements

I was navigator on B-17G #42-106991 on 15 April 1944. We were flying No. 8 position in the formation. After turning off the target the plane on our right wing, B-17G #42-107000, was in trouble. A twin-engine enemy plane made a head-on attack, knocking the No. 4 engine out of the wing. The plane then slipped into a spin, exploding after a few seconds. Four (4) parachutes opened before the plane exploded.

2Lt. Leo E. Gehres

I was tail gunner on B-17G #42-32046 on 15 April 1944. My plane was flying in the left wing position of the second element. We had flown probably 15 or 20 minutes after dropping our bombs when I noticed that B-17G #42-107000 had dropped out of No. 5 position and was lagging behind the formation. It was then that an ME-109 made a pass at the plane which continued to drop behind the formation. The plane flew a level course for probably two or three minutes, then nosed over to the right, made a couple of spins and exploded. I saw four (4) parachutes open near the plane.

Sgt. Daniel F. Francisco

On 15 April 1944 I was ball turret gunner on B-17G #42-31998 which flew No. 3 position in the formation. We had dropped our bombs and were about 20 minutes away from the target when I saw an enemy fighter attack B-17G #42-107000, flying in No. 5 position. The plane immediately dropped approximately 1,000 feet below the formation and I saw three (3) parachutes open near it. At that time the same fighter made another pass at the plane. It was then that the right wing caught fire. The plane nosed over to the right and then exploded. I saw two (2) more parachutes come out of the plane, both of which were on fire.

Pvt. Frederick N. Meisel

Coming off the bomb run, we were attacked by two German fighters—one of whom set our right wing afire. I slipped out of formation immediately and tried to side-slip the fire out. After various maneuvers, which were unsuccessful in extinguishing the blaze, I rang the alarm bell and gave verbal orders over the interphone to bail out. I then put the airplane on “automatic pilot” and headed for the bomb bay.

When I arrived in the bomb bay, the crew members were all assembled and preparing to bail out, with the exception of Lts Tennant and Stewart. S/Sgt Moore saw the fighters attempting another pass and headed back for the tail guns to protect the crew members bailing out. Everyone, about this time, was gone, with the exception of the radio operator and myself. Immediately after the radio operator bailed out, I turned and shouted to Sgt Moore to bail out himself, but saw that he was lying on the floor, very evidently dead. The tail section then broke off from the rest of the plane, both wings exploded, and I bailed out.

When we arrived in prison camp, I immediately contacted the Rumanian Red Cross which investigated the disposition of 2d Lt Roger S Tennant and 2d Lt Harold F Stewart. I was informed that the bodies of Lts Stewart and Tennant were found within 300 yards of the plane with their parachutes opened and burned. S/Sgt Moore was found dead in the plane. All the bodies were unrecognizable and none, with the exception of Moore, had any identification. However, my plane was the only B-17 to my knowledge that was shot down that day in that area, so I assumed that the two bodies with the burned parachutes were Lts Stewart and Tennant.

I was not permitted to view any of the remains and to make identification.

Walter Petrokovich
Pilot, B-17 #42-107000

The Ball Gunner (or Right Waist Gunner)(Thurston) screamed over the inter phone that the right wing was on fire. Pilot immediately gave order to abandon ship. Engineer opened bomb bay door. The pilot righted the plane by automatic pilot and emerged from his position with co-pilot.

Co-Pilot, Pilot, Engineer bailed out thru bomb bay doors in their respective order.

After engineer bailed out I blew out my IFF [Identification Friend or Foe]

I don’t know whether it was the detonator of the IFF that caused an explosion or prevailing circumstances but I was blown out of the plane & instinctively opened my chute after what seemed like seconds.

Flying fragments of the plane tore two panels from my chute. I saw aluminum, landing gears, boxes & etc. flying around. The next thing I did was to observe the number of chutes in the air.

I believe there were seven with me I saw no burning chutes but I did observe a blossomed chute with no one in it.  Whether that was a spare chute or not I will never know. I seemed to be the only one in the crew to see that chute.

It was considerably higher than the other six I saw. The remains of the plane landed approximately 1/2 mile from where I landed. My pilot landed about same time I did at a distance of about 15 yards. From then on we were taken prisoners & shortly afterwards we united with ball gunner – Thurston –  Hauf & Fuller. Borland met us a few days afterward. We conferred and no one had any knowledge of Stewart, Tennant or Moore.

It is my intention to submit only facts. My memory is faint but recall some incidents clearly.

If there is anything else I may help you with please let me know.

T/Sgt. Paul V. Messina
Radio Operator, B-17 #42-107000

Source: MACR 3972

B-17 42-107000 / Princess No No Crew