B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-30840

History of
B-17 42-30840

Delivered Cheyenne 5/8/43; Gr Isle 13/8/43; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-O] Thorpe Abbotts 25/8/43; Missing in Action Bremen 8/10/43 with Herb Nash, Co-pilot: Bob Spears, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Pat Neilon, Radio Operator: Tom Dilts,Tail gunner: Joe Bost (5 Killed in Action); Navigator: John Hart, Bombardier: Verne Hogsett, Ball turret gunner: Thad Kirkpatrick, Waist gunner: George Snyder, Waist gunner: Stan Nowakowski (5 Prisoner of War); severe flak damage, crashed near Oerdinghausen, nine miles W of Hoya, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 951.

Last updated: 23. February 2020

B-17 42-30840 Details

Hogsett (Lt Vernon N. Hogsett) stated after the war, “The engineer (S/Sgt Patrick J. Neilon) and I landed a small pond in a farmyard. With the assistance of German civilians I got Neilon to shore. He complained greatly of back injury, which I believe was caused when bailing out of the plane. There was no external injuries. I pleaded with the Germans to bring a doctor, but I do not believe they understood me. Sgt Neilon lost consciousness immediately and I firmly believe he died before the German Officer in charge took me away with the rest of the crew members.

Source: MACR 951

B-17 42-30840 Crew