B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-107011 / Shining Hour

History of
B-17 42-107011 / Shining Hour

Delivered Tulsa 25/1/44; Kearney 16/2/44; Assigned 418BS/100BG [LD-T] Thorpe Abbotts 7/3/44; on mission to Laon-Athis 8/5/44 with Burdette Williams the ship was hit by bomb from above aircraft which killedTail gunner: Ray Cohen 8/5/44, rest RTD; Missing in Action Politiz 29/5/44 with Burdette Williams, Navigator: Walt Pickett, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gordon Tricker Wounded in Action, Radio Operator: Melvin Evans, Ball turret gunner: Larry Boyer, Waist gunner: Elry Yaroch (6 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Ellie Nesmith, Bombardier: Vernon Breazeale, Waist gunner: Willard Goos drowned after bailing out,Tail gunner: Lyle Nord (4 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Torgau, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 5237. SHINING HOUR.

Last updated: 16. December 2021

B-17 42-107011 / Shining Hour Details

On 8. May 1944. The B-17 was hit in the tail by a 100lb General Purpose bomb of an other B-17.  Tail gunner Raymond Cohen was also wedged into the tail of the plane. The bomb was defused and Tail gunner extracted only to perish a short while later.

Eyewitness Description

A/C #011 was shot down by E/A at 1233 hours over the target area. The #2 engine and nose was hit by 20mm. The A/C peeled out of formation, lost altitude, went into a vertical dive, and exploded. 3 chutes were seen.

Source MACR: 5237

B-17 42-107011 / Shining Hour Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 42-107011 / Shining Hour

1. https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=aircraft&id=10410&Itemid=326