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Source:
By United States Army Air Forces [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Production-block:
B-17F-70-BO: 42-29732 to 42-29831
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 305th Bomb Group
- 95th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 334th Bomb Squadron
- 364th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: BG-B, WF-O
MACR: 304
History of
B-17 42-29807 / Lady Liberty aka Patsy Ann III
Delivered Cheyenne 21/2/43; Gore 7/3/43; New Castle 6/4/43; Dow Fd 12/4/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-B] Alconbury 15/4/43 PATSY ANN; Framlingham 12/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 5m, transferred 364BS/305BG [WF-O] Chelveston 17/6/43; Missing in Action Gilze Rijen 19/8/43 with Ralph Miller,Tail gunner: Emil Radosevich (2 Prisoner of War), Co-pilot: John Meade, Navigator: Don McGowan, Bombardier: Joe McGinley, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bynum Crabtree, Radio Operator: Fulton Horn, Ball turret gunner: Alby Miller, Waist gunner: Bill Crough, Waist gunner: Edgar Loft (8 Killed in Action); flak hit snapped off fuselage aft of radio room, crashed in River Scheldt, four miles E of Flushing, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 304. LADY LIBERTY.
Last updated: 23. January 2020
B-17 42-29807 / Lady Liberty aka Patsy Ann III Details
Made just a few seconds before the plane was hit by Nazi flak, this photo shows the Fortress “Lady Liberty”, flying in formation over occupied Europe. The faces of the pilot, Lt. Ralph R. Miller, Chicago, the bombardier and navigator are plainly visible. A waist gunner can also be seen at his post.
#42-29807 / Lady Liberty was hit by flak few moments later and went down.
B-17 42-29807 / Lady Liberty aka Patsy Ann III Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Ralph R. Miller | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | John F. Meade | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Donald J. McGowan | KIA | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Joseph M. McGinley | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Byrum G. Crabtree | KIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Fulton F. Horn | KIA | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Albert F. Miller | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | William J. Crouch | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Edgar G. Lott | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Emil Radosevich | POW | - |
03. November 2023 access_time 2:51
I am the son of Lady Liberty pilot Ralph Miller. Thank you for posting photos and story of Lady Liberty. The photo of Lady Liberty in flight “seconds before being hit” was actually taken during group formation over England on the Aug. 19, 1943 mission. There is, however, a photo of Lady Liberty with bomb bay doors open that is presumed to have been taken seconds before being hit.
05. November 2024 access_time 9:30
Hi
I have studied this photo at length after noticing an airfield visible in the background. It doesn’t look like an English one from the details that I can glean. In particular, the perpendicular runway at 90 degrees to the main runway and the field shapes are also less typically English. I think that the caption ‘photo was taken over occupied Europe’ is correct. It looks like the airfield at Sint-Truiden (Brustem), Belgium, which would be ironic as the Unit was based there after VE Day. In which case, the aircraft is heading back home on a westerly track. I will do some more work to try to coroberate my opinion.
Correcting data is not something to be taken lightly but it is something that I am passionate about. Accuracy is important for those airmen and their families alike.