| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-15-BO: 42-31332 to 42-31431 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 100th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 728th Bomb Squadron |
| MACR: | 5021 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (12 May 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-31345 / Lady Stardust II
Delivered Cheyenne 23/10/43; Walla Walla 6/11/43; Assigned: 100 Thorpe Abbotts 7/1/44; Transferred: 728BS/452BG Deopham Green 8/1/44 KICKAPOO JOY JUICE; MIA Brux 12/5/44 Pilot: Milan Mareck, Co-Pilot: Harry Eastman, Navigator: Larry Defeo, Bombardier: Cornelius Kohlman, Radio Operator: Dwight Miller, Ball Turret Gunner: Sam Fain, Waist Gunner: Don Kemman, Waist Gunner: Ernie Hughingson, Tail Gunner: George Bouckek (9RTD); Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Merl Orcutt (KIA); Enemy aircraft, ditched Channel, about a mile W of Knockfortjohn, Kent, UK, crew picked up by ASR, but ettg went down with the ship; MACR 5021. LADY STARDUST II.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 42-31345 / Lady Stardust II Details
Following Statement made by F/O Harold Eastman Jr.:
During an attack by enemy fighters Sgt. Orcutt was struck in the head by fire from 20 mm cannon and died instantly. Returning from the mission it was necessary to ditch in the English Channel. The body went down with the plane as the crew was unable to remove it before the plane sank. The approximate location of the plane when the sinking oocurred was 1-1/2 miles West of Knockfort John, Kent County, England, in the Channel.
This page was last updated on 11 July 2021
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