B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-39815 / Emeigh

History of
B-17 42-39815 / Emeigh

Delivered Long Beach 10/9/43; Assigned 323BS/91BG [OR-N] Bassingbourn 16/10/43; Missing in Action Oschersleben 22/2/44 with Ken Sutherland, Co-pilot: Stan Jordan, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Kyle, Radio Operator: Malcolm McCurry, Ball turret gunner: Raymond Butler, Waist gunner: Andy Tarasuk, Tail gunner: Rathel Bennett (7 Killed in Action); Navigator: Fred McBride, Bombardier: Les Price, Waist gunner: Fred Tabor (3 Prisoner of War); flak KO’d #1, then enemy aircraft riddled ship, crashed a mile W of Lugde, six miles SW on Hameln, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 2641. EMEIGH.

Last updated: 27. August 2022

B-17 42-39815 / Emeigh Details

On or about 12:00 o’clock, February 22nd, 1944, we were hit by Flak and had to feather number 1 engine. Almost immediately after this we were attacked by enemy fighters and the group gained in speed and tightened formation. We were left behind and the last word we received from the pilot was whether we should try to hit the deck and head for home or try to keep up. We all agreed to try to make it home and so we salvoed our bombs, one 500 pounder staying in the racks. During this time we were repeatedly attacked by the enemy fighters.

After we were left out of the formation, two fighters came in and made individual passes at us. The first pass killed the engineer, co-pilot, and tail gunner, wounding the navigator and myself. I helped the ball turret gunner out of his turret and on with his chute and by then the waist gunner had the door off the escape hatch and the radio operator had came back in the waist.

The order to bail out had already been given by the pilot and so we were preparing to bail out of the waist door.

Another ME-109 coming up behind opened up on us and knocked the other three men, in front of me, off their feet. They were hit, how badly – I am not able to say, as I felt the plane going into a spin I bailed out and I was able to watch the plane for a few seconds and I say no other men come out of the plane.

I believe, repeat, I firmly believe, the pilot stayed with the plane so that we might bail out.

S/Sgt. Fred A. Tabor

Source: MACR 2641

B-17 42-39815 / Emeigh Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 42-39815 / Emeigh

1. http://www.spurensuche-owl.de/front_content.php?idart=126
2. http://www.91stbombgroup.com/airmen_diaries/diary_raymond_butler.pdf