B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-31600 / Pride of New Mexico

History of
B-17 42-31600 / Pride of New Mexico

Delivered Denver 28/11/43; Kearney 15/12/43; San Bernardino 20/12/43; Grenier 21/12/43; Presque Is 23/12/32; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-T] Horham 2/1/44 PRIDE OF NEW MEXICO; 335BS [OE-M]; 91m, Missing in Action Osnabruck 21/11/44 with Roy Schoaf, Co-pilot: Dick White, Navigator: Gordon Redfeldt, Bombardier: Leo Martone, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gene Wolf, Radio Operator: Jack Tallman, Ball turret gunner: John Strayer, Waist gunner: John Prendergast,Tail gunner: Don Krebs (9 Prisoner of War); battle damaged and two engines out, and jettisoning ball turret, crashed south of Heimbach/Eifel, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 11195. SPIRIT OF NEW MEXICO aka UNCLE.

Last updated: 13. March 2022

B-17 42-31600 / Pride of New Mexico Details

Crash site is not St. Vith, Belgium. Local historians of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Luftkriegsgeschichte Rhein/Mosel e.V. found the crash site south of Heimbach/Eifel, Germany.

Information from MACR 11195

I herby certify that there are no eyewitnesses available for this report.

I further certify that the following is a correct statement of facts as obtained from the S-2 files for this flight.

B-17G 42-31600 piloted by 2nd Lt. Shoaf was unreported as to cause of the initial damage but he called to the formation that he had to feather two engines and asked for fighter support. At 1140 hours the ball turret was jettisoned. The aircraft lost altitude gradually and started to drop behind the formation and at this time he turned west. When last seen the plane was under control. Radio contact was maintained until 1254 and at that time it was still under control. A flight of fighters picked up the aircraft just east of Koblenz and escorted it until the flight was over friendly territory in the vicinity of St. Vith at 1320 hours. At this time the fighters left the B-17 and continued to their own base. What happened to the crew or aircraft after this is unknown.

David E. Olsson
Captain, Air Corps
Asst. Operations Officer

B-17 42-31600 / Pride of New Mexico Crew