| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-20-BO: 42-31432 to 42-31631 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 306th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 367th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | GY-G |
| MACR | 4280 |
| KSU/ME/KU: | 1600 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (24 April 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-31445
Delivered Cheyenne 2/11/43; Gt Falls 5/11/43; Kearney 17/11/43; Romulus 2/12/43; Syracuse 5/12/43; Bangor 6/12/43; Assigned: 367BS/306BG [GY-G] Thurleigh 21/1/44; MIA Erding 24/4/44 Pilot: Walt Peterson, Co-Pilot: Leslie King, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Antonio Celli, Radio Operator: Archie Smith, Ball Turret Gunner: John Belgium. , Waist Gunner: Roger Burton (6KIA); Navigator: Chris Dinkel, Bombardier: Edmond Storolis, Waist Gunner: Clarry Marlow, Tail Gunner: Roderick McAllister (4POW); flak KOd #4, four baled before ship exploded, crashed St Saens, 19 miles SE of Dieppe, Fr; MACR 4280.
B-17 42-31445 Details
Eyewitness statements to the loss of B-17G #42-31445
At approximately 1123 hours, near Le Treport, France, Lt. Peterson was hit by flak. I saw No. 4 engine on fire and one minute later the plane exploded. I saw three or four chutes.
1Lt. Warren C. B. Koch
Sgt. McAlister and I bailed out over Holland and landed in a little Dutch Farming Village.
Clarence R. Marlow
Source: MACR 4280
On 24 April 1944 at 1130 hours, B-17G, 1.5 kilometers north east of St. Saens, 30 kilometers south east of Dieppe. Exploded in the air and burned. 100% destroyed. Serial Number 231445 G. Six (6) dead, four (4) captured, only 1 of the dead can be identified: Lt. Peterson, W. B. The captured are: Lt. Storolis, Edmund M., Sgt. Marlow, Clarence R., Sgt. McAllister, R. H., Lt. Dinkel, Christian, who was sent to the Base Hospital in Rouen.
Source: KU 1600 (German Report)
B-17 42-31445 Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Walter E. Peterson | KIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Lesli W. King | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Christian A. Dinkel | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Edmund M. Storolis | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Antonio T. Celli | KIA | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Archie J. Smith | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | John R. Bell | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Clarence R. Marlow | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Roger C. Burton | KIA | - |
| TG | SGT | Roderick H. McAllister | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 03 April 2021
16. July 2022 access_time 22:46
Wondering if any of the KIA’s that were not identified were ever eventually identified and returned home. My relative was SGT John R Bell, the ball turret gunner KIA on this mission
07. June 2024 access_time 5:08
I wonder about the identification as well. One of the waist gunners, Roger Burton is my great uncle. He has a grave at Normandy but who knows if his remains are actually buried there. It sounds like the cockpit had the only identifiable remains of the wreckage.