zoom_in
Source:
Jordan Schreppel
Production-block:
B-17F-110-BO: 42-30532 to 42-30616
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 96th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 338th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: BX-X
MACR: 1654
History of
B-17 42-30602 / Dry Run IV
Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/43; Kearney 12/7/43; Dow Field 16/7/43; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX-X] Snetterton 16/7/43; Missing in Action Hamburg 13/12/43 with Emery Chesmore, Co-pilot: John Chestnut, Navigator: Art Leedy, Bombardier: John Mathews, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Vince Vicalli, Radio Operator: George Frosdick, Ball turret gunner: Jim Simpson, Waist gunner: Jim Collins, Waist gunner: Corney Lett, Tail gunner: Earl Fahl (10 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed on the Molenrij, near Kloosterburen, Groningen, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 1654. DRY RUN IV.
Last updated: 3. January 2020
B-17 42-30602 / Dry Run IV Details
About the crew photo:
The photo were sent to me by Jordan Schreppel, his grandfather Robert Schreppel is the 3rd from the left standing.
Last mission:
B-17F #42-30602 / Dry Run IV was hit by Flak from the Frisians, and hit by two Ju 88 C-6 night fighters:
- D5+FX, flown by Leutnant Hermann Stock of the 12./NJG 3
- D5+EV, flown by Leutnant Walter Briegleb of the 10./NJG 3, respectively.
The victory was credited to Lt. Stock.
B-17 42-30602 / Dry Run IV Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Emery R. Chesmore | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | John J. Chesnut, Jr | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Arthur J. Leedy | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | John V. Mathews | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Vincenzo Vicalli | POW | - |
| RO | S/SGT | George L. Frosdick | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | James F. Simpson | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | James E. F. Collins | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Corney Lett | POW | See comment by Erna Lett below |
| TG | S/SGT | Earl C. Fahl | POW | - |
09. December 2019 access_time 18:39
My late husband was the Radio Operator on this B-17 on December 13, 1943. His name is Corney LETT, not Leyy. George Frosdick was the waste gunner on this mission.
I have my husbands diary and his memories of that mission. The crew all were captured and held as POW’s at Stalag 17B & Stalag Luft 1.
Erna LETT, Mrs. Corney LETT
09. December 2019 access_time 18:46
Thank you Erna, Sometime to old documents are difficult to read. And names was incorrect.
I corrected the name to Lett.
Do you have information to share with me and my web site about the last mission?
Or can you sent me the memories?
22. August 2023 access_time 19:46
I’m a disabled combat veteran/VN..comms challenged. One of the German fighter-pilots tried to contact me.. had/has anyone had comms with the pilot or any of his family or friends? Thank you. I’m looking forward to comms with someone on this topic. Thank you
28. December 2019 access_time 3:28
I have a picture of my grandfather Robert schreppel in front of the dry run IV. Looking to find more of the history of this airplane. I can submit the photo if you have a place to send it.
28. December 2019 access_time 12:41
Hello Jordan,
thank you for your help.
I sent you an email.
Cheers
Jing
24. April 2020 access_time 22:21
The following website contains a story from a man ( aged 6 at the time of the crash) who saw it happen) It also shows a photo of the crash site. The story is written in dutch, but you can use google to translate it.
Kind regards ,
Frank
28. October 2022 access_time 14:38
Hai Frank,ik ben Pieter Rijskamp, degene die de B17f heeft zien neerstorten. Door emigratie naar Indonesie ben ik de informatie over deze B17 kwijtgeraakt. Ik kan het niet downloaden. Kunt u mij de info op mijn email mij toezenden?
Als het kan graag!
Met vriendelijke groet,
Pieter Rijskamp, nu 85 jaar oud, wordt op 3 april 86.
24. April 2020 access_time 22:22
The link to the website :
http://www.kleine-huisjes.nl/molenrij,-b-17-neergestort.html
24. April 2020 access_time 22:27
Thank you very much for sharing!
14. April 2021 access_time 16:22
The Photo of the crew is not of the ones listed ..No the last crew that was shot down. My father was Arthur J. Leedy the Navigator.
28. October 2022 access_time 14:16
ik ben degene die de b17f heb zien neerstorten . Mijn informatie omtrent deze B17 is door emigratie naar Indonesie verliren gemaakt. graag zou ik van dit door mij geschreven vertaal terug willen hebben, eventueel
op mijn emailadres. ik kan het niet downloaded omdat het beschermd is. graag een positieve reactie,
met groet, Pieter Rijskamp
12. April 2023 access_time 20:55
Greetings, thanks so much for compiling and sharing all this information! My father was John J. Chesnut, Jr., the co-pilot. I concur with the earlier comment that the photo displayed doesn’t show the final crew of this aircraft, as my father isn’t in it. I have a photo dated 10/16/43 that’s labeled “Lt. Chesmore’s Crew” that does have my father in it, but I’m not sure if the photo is of the Dry Run IV crew. I’d be happy to email a digital copy for use if you like — and I do have my father’s official Air Force photo and a lot of my father’s POW correspondence, but I haven’t scanned all of that yet. Thanks again! — Mark Chesnut
05. April 2024 access_time 9:59
Re this A/c I have this for pilot was 1st William A Burdick chesmore flew 42-3347