B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-3157 / Laura

History of
B-17 42-3157 / Laura

Delivered Cheyenne 2/3/43; Morrison 10/6/43; Assigned 32BS/301BG St Donat 21/5/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; Missing in Action Wiener Nuedorf 26/7/44 with Leo McDonald, Co-pilot: Kai-Kee, Ball turret gunner: Forys (3 Killed in Action); Navigator: Steed, Bombardier: Winsor, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Allen, Radio Operator: Brainard, Waist gunner: Shallcross, Waist gunner: Tate,Tail gunner: Jameson (7 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed Wiener Nuestadt, Missing Air Crew Report 7138. LAURA.

Last updated: 4. May 2020

B-17 42-3157 / Laura Details

On July 26, 1944, he (co-pilot Kenneth B. Kai-Kee) was part of a “make-up” crew on a mission to bomb an aircraft parts plant at Weiner-Nuedorf, Austria. None of the crew had flown together, and with one exception, no one knew any of the other crew members. The aircraft this crew would fly was an older aircraft, which had suffered battle damage in other missions, and had been repaired so much, it was the slowest in the squadron. Therefore, it was assigned the “Tail End Charlie” or last spot in the formation. The mission took off, flew over the Alps into Europe, and promptly ran into terrible weather. The weather was so bad the 15th Air Force sent a “Recall Message” aborting the mission. For some reason, the 28 plane element from the 32nd Squadron never received this message.

When the bombers arrived at the target, the weather was totally cloudy. Just as the mission commander decided to return, the squadron was attacked by approximately 50 enemy fighters. Four bombers were immediately shot down, and the others had to enter a cloud bank. An observer that escaped said later that the B-17 in which Lt. Kai-Kee was co-pilot “suddenly pitched straight up, fell into a right spiral, and exploded. Only one chute observed.”

When the aircraft exploded, the nose was blown off, and the bombardier was hurled from the aircraft with no parachute. The front portion of the bomber spiraled to earth with bomb bays intact, the tail was blown off and the tail gunner blown out. This was the parachute that was observed. The radio operator had been firing the radio mount gun, but now saw himself in only the fuselage so he attempted to bail out. His chute hung up on a door panel, but then ripped the panel from the plane and he was out.

Source: togetherweserved.com

Statements of Eyewitness

I was flying as Co-Pilot on airplane #44-6180. At 1104 July 26, 1944, near Vienna, airplane 157, piloted by Lt. McDonald left it’s position in out left wing going about fifty feet above our plane and peeling off to the right. A fire was burning in the wing tank of the right wing. The last I saw of the ship it was going down still in a right peel. The ship went down at 47° 38’N 150° 44’E. There was no chance of a force landing; though some men may have been able to bail out. I saw no chutes come out of the plane. No contact by radio was made by 157.

2Lt. John H. Klette

I was flying as Ball Turret Gunner on Airplane #44-6180. I first noticed 157 when it passed over us, on fire. It appeared as if the Pilot pulled it to one side to spars other ships in the formation. 157 was to the rear of us at five o’clock when it dove straight down, spinning as it went down. It pulled out for a moment then continued to dive. When it was about a 1000 yds below us, it blew up. One (1) chute was seen to open, it is not possible that any other crew member escaped. It appeared as if the explosion opened the chute.

S/Sgt. Albert F. Bernard, Jr.

B-17 42-3157 / Laura Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 42-3157 / Laura

1. http://32ndbombsquadron.com/32ndacts.html#XII.
2. https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=126228
3. http://regiowiki.at/wiki/Absturz_zweier_B-17_in_Sankt_Jakob_im_Walde_am_26._Juli_1944