B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-31515 / The Wild Hare

History of
B-17 42-31515 / The Wild Hare

Delivered Denver 16/11/43; Rock Springs 26/11/43; Kearney 14/12/43; Romulus 17/12/43; Syracuse 19/12/43; Presque Is 22/12/43; Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-J/N] Bassingbourn 21/1/44; 401BS [LL-M] 29/4/44; Missing in Action 25m Altenbeken 26/11/44 with Bob Flint, Co-pilot: Dave Bishop, Navigator: Bob Miller (3 Prisoner of War); tog-Dan Hiner, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Cumings, Radio Operator: John Kendall, Ball turret gunner: Bartolomeo Zanotto, Waist gunner: Glenn Lynch,Tail gunner: Owen Monkman (6 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, exploded crashed Grossenging, near Cloppenburg, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 10836. THE WILD HARE.

Last updated: 21. March 2020

B-17 42-31515 / The Wild Hare Details

Eyewitness Statements from MACR 10836

At about five minutes before th I.P. we were attacked by approximately seventy-five (75) enemy fighters. At this time I observed aircraft B-17G 42-31515, to be hit by enemy fighters fire and No. 3 engine was set on fire. The aircraft started dropping back behind the formation and slowly lost altitude. During this time (3 or 4 minutes) I saw one (1) man leave the aircraft then nosed downward, exploded in mid-air, and broke up into two peaces. The aircraft was under control up until the time it nosed downward and exploded and I believe that there was sufficient time for all personnel to have bailed out.

Sgt. Theodore E. Townsend
91st BG, 324th BS

Note:
S/Sgt. Howard D. Stebelton and Sgt. Matt A. Munding, Jr. have concurred with the above statedment with the exception that due to their positions in the aircraft they did not observe any parachutes.

42-31515 / The Wild Hare returns from mission – anyjazz65@flickr

B-17 42-31515 / The Wild Hare Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 42-31515 / The Wild Hare

1. https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/fr/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-h/58949-hiner-daniel-v