| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-15-BO: 42-31332 to 42-31431 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 2nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 20th Bomb Squadron |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (25 February 1944) |
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History of
B-17 42-31416
Delivered Cheyenne 1/11/43; Assigned 20BS/2BG Amendola 10/12/43; Missing in Action Regensburg 25/2/44 with Lloyd Withers, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Albert Segal, Radio Operator: Jim Verdi[wia] (3 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Capt Bob Arnold, Navigator: Clyde Hayden, Bombardier: Furman Scheiderman, Ball turret gunner: Dwight Heatwole, Waist gunner: Bill Buchanan, Waist gunner: Bob Hiatt,Tail gunner: John Ryan (7 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Moosdorf, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 2576.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
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This page was last updated on 30 July 2017
14. March 2023 access_time 10:25
My uncle (husband of my mom’s sister) led the German soldiers that captured the downed crew of this aircraft. My uncle, now deceased, would tell stories of how him and his troops had to save the surviving crew from the angry locals. He also told about how he helped the American crew with food and rations to help with their recovery. After the war, my uncle was accused and convicted of killing some of the crew. He was able to contact one of the crew in the United States and that crew member cleared him of any wrongdoing. How was he able to contact the crew member, you may ask? The crew member was so grateful on how my uncle treated him he gave my uncle his stateside address before they parted ways. The letter written by the crew member was framed and on the wall of my uncle’s study for many years. It, along with transport papers out of Stalingrad shortly before it fell to the Russians, were two framed items on his wall. Both documents saved my uncle’s life.
25. May 2023 access_time 7:02
Rick Mayfield- I love this story. My uncle, Bill Buchanan did not survive the crash. Would love to here any more you can share about this.
03. June 2023 access_time 19:53
Hi James – Here are some other things I remember from the story and the letter that cleared my uncle: It was Lloyd Withers who my uncle had the most contact with. My uncle said the Mr. Withers would not eat to food he had offered him at first. So my uncle would first eat some to reassure Mr. Withers that it wasn’t poisonous. Essentially my uncle helped nurse Mr. Withers back to health. Well, at least healthy enough to be transported to a POW camp. Mr. Withers was so grateful with my uncles treatment that he gave my uncle his stateside address on a book of matches. My uncle lived to the age of 89 because he kept the address. Otherwise he would have been executed for murder.