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Production-block:
B-17G-20-BO: 42-31432 to 42-31631
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 2nd Bomb Group
- 99th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 20th Bomb Squadron
- 347th Bomb Squadron
MACR: 8109
Missions: 95
History of
B-17 42-31473 / My Baby
Delivered Cheyenne 5/11/43; Gt Falls 10/11/43; Gr Island 26/11/43; Assigned 347BS/99BG Tortorella 31/12/43 (first G in sqd); {29m} transferred 20BS/2BG Amendola 28/3/44; Missing in Action (95m) Moravska Ostrova, Czech. 29/8/44 with Bob McCloskey, Navigator: Willard Netzley, Bombardier: John Curran, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Jones (4 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Harry Helveston(died next day in German hospital), Bombardier: John Curran, Radio Operator: Edwin Everett, Ball turret gunner: Luther Durrette, Waist gunner: Chas Munden, Waist gunner: Harry Schirmer,Tail gunner: Elmer Pruitt (6 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Bohmen, Czech; Missing Air Crew Report 8109. MY BABY.
Last updated: 19. September 2020
B-17 42-31473 / My Baby Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Robert O. McCloskey | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Harold W. Helveston, Jr. | KIA | - |
| NAV | F/O | Willard P. Netzley | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | James A. Jones | POW | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Edwin R. Everett | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | Luther L. Durrette | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Harold Schirmer | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | Charles A. Munden | KIA | - |
| TG | SGT | Elmer J. Pruitt, Jr. | KIA | - |
| TOG | SGT | John J. Curran | POW | - |
10. April 2023 access_time 17:51
This B-17 Tail #231473 was shot down and crashed in Slovakia in the hills of a borough of Predpoloma, 4 of the crew (Everett, Schirmer, Munden, Pruitt) are buried at a local cemetery of Nova Bosaca, near my granparents’ grave. The crash site still has debris to this day and as recently as few years ago still had carcass of one of the engines. The crash site is demarcated with a cross and dedication plaque. I have pictures of it. JK02251212@outlook.com