| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-15-BO: 42-31332 to 42-31431 |
| Delievered: | Cheyenne |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 452nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 731st Bomb Squadron |
| MACR | 6238 |
| KSU/ME/KU: | 2337 |
| Fate: |
, Mid-air collision (21 June 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-31359
Delivered Cheyenne 25/10/43; Walla Walla 9/11/43; Assigned: 731BS/452BG Deopham Green 3/1/44; MIA Berlin 21/6/44 Pilot: Harry Lerum, Melvin Van Gundy, Ken Salsbury, George Slessman (4POW); Dick Dean, Paul Young, Fred Thomas, Ed McGrath, Dick Graham, Willard Johnson (6KIA); mid air coll w/42-102662 (452BG), crashed Rheinsberg, Germany. MACR 6238.
B-17 42-31359 Details
Mid-air-collision with B-17 #42-102662 on 21 June 1944.
Following statement obtained by S-2 Section, 452nd Group at interrogation after return of mission:
At 1040 hours two B-17s flying #4 and #6 position in the Low Squadron of the 452nd – B Group collied at 52°52“ – 13°10“. Both planed went down at 52°55“ – 12°50“. Just after bombs away, in making a right turn, the #4 plane (662) was caught in a prop wash and the #6 plane (359) whose tail assembly was already damaged by flak run into the first plane and chowed up its tail. One plane blew up and the other went down in a tight spiral. 6-7 chutes were seen.
Source: MACR 6238
This page was last updated on 27 September 2025
25. December 2022 access_time 16:58
My grandfather, Melvin Roscoe VanGundy was a co-pilot on “the little colonel” – B-17 42-31359. Does anyone have a picture of this B-17? Let me know please, Thanks!
13. January 2024 access_time 18:49
Hello Ramsay,
As luck would have it, I came across this post and I have a photo of Little Colonel. If you have an e-mail address, I would be more than happy to send it to you. Best regards.
15. January 2024 access_time 21:26
Thanks!
07. September 2025 access_time 23:56
Hello! My great uncle is Ed McGrath. I’d love to have the photo of little colonel and any you might have of the crew