Production-block:
B-17G-20-BO: 42-31432 to 42-31631
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 401st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 612th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: SC-D
MACR: 3939
History of
B-17 42-31511 / Fool’s Luck III
Delivered Denver 16/11/43; Kearney 3/12/43; Presque Is 9/12/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-D] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; Missing in Action Evere A/fd 10/4/44 with Gaston Fox, Co-pilot: Francis Hoad, Navigator: Darrel Wilson, Bombardier: Leon Mendelson, Ball turret gunner: Don Van Booven, Waist gunner: Chas Sierra (6 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Allen Brown, Radio Operator: Duane Brandt, Waist gunner: Joe Gallas,Tail gunner: Cecil Estess (4 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, ditched Channel, three miles W of Calais, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 3939. FOOLS LUCK III.
Last updated: 9. April 2018
B-17 42-31511 / Fool’s Luck III Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | CPT | Gaston M. Fox | POW | - |
| CP | 1LT | Francis W. Hoad | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Darrell D. Wilson | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Leonard J. Mendelson | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Allen D. Brown | KIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Duane G. Brandt | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | Donald W. Van Boovan | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Joseph Gallas | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | Charles P. Sierra | POW | - |
| TG | SGT | Cecil C. Estess | KIA | - |
12. December 2019 access_time 6:31
Tech Sergeant Allen Doyle Brown was my uncle and was flying on Fools Luck III on his 25th combat mission when it was hit by flak over Brussels. Allen was killed instantly. The pilot Gaston Fox had to ditch the plane in the Channel, and Allen went down with the plane. Three other crew members were badly injured but alive when the rest of the crew were able to get them off the airplane before it sank. All 3 of them died while waiting for rescue. The surviving 6 were captured by the enemy and transported to POW camp until the end of the war. In May 1945 after the war ended, Captain Fox called my father Robert, Allen’s brother, to tell him what had happened.
12. December 2019 access_time 8:07
Thank you for sharing.
Sorry for the loss.