42-31097 / Mission Belle | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-31097 / Mission Belle

General
Manufacturer:	Boeing
Production-Block:	, B-17G-1-BO: 42-31032 to 42-31131

Operational History
Bomb Group:	, 381st Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group
Bomb Squadron:	, 535th Bomb Squadron
MACR	1661
Fate:	, Lost by enemy aircraft (01 December 1943)

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History of
B-17 42-31097 / Mission Belle

Delivered Cheyenne 20/9/43; Gt Falls 12/10/43; Scott 18/11/43; assigned 401BG Deenethorpe 19/11/43; transferred 535BS/381BG Ridgewell 21/11/43; Missing in Action (1st mission for this aircraft) Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Pilot Harland V. Sunde (KIA – body recovered 12/6/44); Ball turret gunner: Doyle C. Mc Cutchen (KIA; body recovered from river 30/5/44); Tail gunner: John F. Healey (KIA). Co-pilot: James W. Sweaney; Navigator: Roger G.Christensen; Bombardier: O.D. Tully; Flight engineer/top turret gunner: William P. England; Radio Operator: Claudio Carano; Right Waist gunner: Charles J. Culver; Left Waist gunner Carlton A. Josephson (those 7 Prisoner of War). Missing Air Crew Report 1661.

Source: The B-17 Flying Fortress Story (Affiliate-Link/CommissionsEarned)

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B-17 42-31097 / Mission Belle Details

Flak, left formation a few minutes before hitting the target and was attacked by fighters. Shot down by Unteroffizier Albert Brett (7./JG 1) in a Me 109.

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B-17 42-31097 / Mission Belle Crew

Position	Rank	Name	Status	Note
P	F/O	Harland Vernon Sunde	KIA	-
CP	2LT	James William Sweaney	POW	-
NAV	2LT	Roger George Christensen	POW	-
BOMB	2LT	O. D. Tully	POW	-
ENG/TT	S/SGT	William Powell England	POW	-
RO	SGT	Claudio Stefano Carano	POW	-
BT	SGT	Doyle Cash McCutchen	KIA	-
WG	SGT	Carlton Arthur Josephson	POW	-
WG	SGT	Charles Jones Culver	POW	-
TG	SGT	John Aloysius Healy	KIA	-