B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-31759 / Huslin’ Gal

History of
B-17 42-31759 / Huslin’ Gal

Delivered Denver 11/12/43; Spokane 17/12/43; Gt Falls 20/12/43; Denver 27/12/43; Lincoln 5/1/44; Mobile 6/1/44; Lakeland 7/1/44; Morrison 22/2/44; Assigned 774BS/463BG Celone 24/2/44; Missing in Action Ploesti, Rom. 24/4/44 with Anthony Namiotka, Co-pilot: Roy Meyer, Navigator: Bob Masneri, Bombardier: Jordan Bell, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Howard Schuch, Radio Operator: Haskell Smith, Ball turret gunner: Louis Smith, Waist gunner: Harry Majackrzak,Tail gunner: Alex Spears; enemy aircraft, exploded and five chutes seen with Me109 circling, ship crashed Tirgoviste, Rom; Missing Air Crew Report 4611. HUSTLIN’ GAL.

Last updated: 21. July 2022

B-17 42-31759 / Huslin’ Gal Details

Eyewitness Statements to the loss of B-17 42-31759 / Huslin’ Gal

After the fighter had passed, I looked out the right side of my plane, and saw Lt. Namiotka’s ship in a steep turn to the right losing altitude, and going out of view.

1Lt. Peter Verberckmoes
Pilot, B-17 #795

On the rally turn, I looked up and at about 1230, a fighter appeared diving at 45° angle. As he approached at two or three hundred yards, his guns opened up, and he was gone. When the turn was completed, the right wing man was gone. The ship was raked with machine gun fire from wing tip to wing tip.

F/O Kenneth F. Dunkel
Co-Pilot, B-17 #795

An airplane (ME 109), appeared off the right wing tip at about 2 O’Clock. The fighter was going in the opposite direction. I swung my guns and fired, short burst and the fighter was gone. At this time a B-17 (Lt. Namiotka’s ship) came into view. The B-17 did steep bank to the right gaining a little altitude, then started in dive of about 50° downward, I saw six chutes come from the B-17.

S/Sgt. Billy Call
Right Waist Gunner, B-17 #795

As I swung my turret around to about 3 O’Clock, I saw Lt. Namiotka’s B-17 doing about 45° bank to the right of us. When he was turned 180° from us, the ship straightened up, and went into a slow dive and then I saw 6 chutes coming out, and then went out of my view below and behind us. All four enginer were running, and wasn’t smoking or on fire. He lowered his landing gear.

Cpl. William C. Morgan
Aerial Engineer, B-17 #795

I the undersigned was flying as Engineer in Top Turret gun position plane #575 lead plane in 463rd group. Major Dean was flying as pilot. I saw an ME 109 come toward us at about 1 O’Clock high, firing about 90 rounds at it, (ME 109), dashed out view behind the No. 2 plane in our element. A few seconds later, caught sight of a B-17G falling from the right high Baker Sq. in our Gp., when it was approximately 200 feet below the formation it was flying in. I watched the B-17G fall down until it passed out of my view. During the time I watched the plane fell, I saw five chutes open, right after the men cleared the falling B-17, it spun once before it passed out of my view.

S/Sgt. Leopold S. Olechna
Top Turret Gunner, B-17 #575

I was flying in B-17 #775. We were flying in [unreadable word] No. 2 on the right wing of the lead ship. My position on our plane is right waist gunner. When I saw the plane, it was far to our right about 5 O’Clock. Four chutes opened as the plane went up into a spin, then as it was spinning downward, I saw four more chutes open.

S/Sgt. G. L. Hammond
Right Waist Gunner, B-17 #775

Source: MACR 4611

B-17 42-31759 / Huslin’ Gal Crew