B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-31671

B-17 #42-31671zoom_in

Source:
Courtesy of Alan Hoelscher

Manufacturer:
Boeing

MACR: 2634

Missions: 12

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History of
B-17 42-31671

Delivered Cheyenne 6/12/43; Hill Fd 9/12/43; Atlanta 19/12/43; Savannah 20/12/43; Assigned 353BS/301BG Cerignola 11/1/44; Lucera 1/2/44; Missing in Action {12m} Steyr 24/2/44 with Jack LaForge, Morin, Moore, Stuber, Scott, Gafford, Buley, Parana, Preiss (9 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed Lambach, Aus; Missing Air Crew Report 2634.

Last updated: 5. June 2020

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B-17 42-31671 Details

Witnesses’ Statement

The last I recall of seeing A/C 32-31671 was about a half hour from target. Ship was flying in 33 position and seemed to be in no trouble. Did not miss it during run on target as I was too busy due to enemy fighter action.

Sgt. Donald J. Coppins
Waist Gunner on A/C 42-30095
Piloted by 1Lt. James E. Ahearn


We were on bombing run and fighters were attacking from several directions. Some one called out fighters at 9 o’clock. I turned around and saw the bomb bay of 671 on fire. At first it looked as through it might go out, then the whole bomb bay was filled with flames. The salvoed their bombs and released the emergency door in the nose right away. The plane stayed in the formation for a few seconds and started dropping , I would judge about five to six hundred feet per minute and that was the last I saw of the plane.

Because there were as many fighters, it was impossible for me to watch the plane very long.

S/Sgt. Eugene James
Engineer Gunner on A/C 42-30095
Piloted by 1Lt. James E. Ahearn

Flying over the alps thirty (30) minutes before the bombing run both wing ships included in which was A/C #671 were still in formation. Next thing I knew at abou 1300 hours, German fighters, (seven (7) in all) attacked our Group. Looking back our left wing ship was burning from the tip of wing to fuselage along its right wing. I though that this was ship 671. It slowly went down and I didn’t see it any more. Previous to this a ship went down in the Alps and i saw two (2) chutes come out. It is possible this may have been 671.

S/Sgt. Frank J. Bitepatrick
Radio Operator on A/C 42-30095
Piloted by 1Lt. James E. Ahearn


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B-17 42-31671 Crew

Position Rank Name Status Note
P 2LT Jack A. LaForge POW
CP 2LT Antoine Robert Morin POW
BOMB 2LT William S. Stuber POW
ENG/TT S/SGT Virgil W Scott POW
RO S/SGT George M. Gafford POW
BT SGT Francis F. Preiss POW
WG SGT Jesse L. Buley POW
TG SGT Joseph A. Parana POW

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