| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-35-BO: 42-31932 to 42-32116 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 92nd Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 334th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | BG-P |
| MACR | 8280 |
| Fate: |
, Crashlanding, interned (25 August 1944) |
| Missions: | 54 |
Werbung/Advertisement
History of
B-17 42-31992 / Mirandy
Delivered Cheyenne 13/1/44; Dalhart 29/1/44; Presque Is 29/2/44; Assigned 92BG, transferred 334BS/95BG [BG-P] Horham 1/3/44; 54m, Missing in Action Politz 25/8/44 with Howard Bussen, Co-pilot: Bill Mills, Navigator: John Cassenti, Bombardier: Paul Kliner, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Finley, Radio Operator: John Cane, Ball turret gunner: Bill Donnelly, Waist gunner: Archie Dixon,Tail gunner: Emmett Diamond (9INT); crash landed Sovde, Sweden. Missing Air Crew Report 8280. Left for UK 30/6/45; Salvaged 12/10/45. MIRANDY.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
Werbung/Advertisement
This page was last updated on 04 April 2018
16. August 2020 access_time 17:08
My husband, Bill Mills, co pilot, told this story so well about hearing someone else who held on after attack and landed in Sweden. Remembered this info. When engine shot out August 25, 1944 on mission over Stettin, he held plane from spinning in while pilot was helping turret gunner and they made it to coast of Sweden. Met by Swedish planes. Treated great until released to return to America.. Probably the peak event of his life. We went back to Horham in 1984 and met with two brothers who lived nearby and who hosted all returning flyers because they were little boys when the Yanks came to their town. Bill Mills died in 1999. Regretted only having one and a half missions, Flew the Berlin Airlift also. Proud to be Air Force.
16. August 2020 access_time 17:26
Hello Linda Mills, thank you for sharing your husbands story!
07. September 2020 access_time 5:11
Mrs. Mills, please contact me. I’d like to hear the details of the mission you described. My father was tail gunner on that mission.
Thank you,
Miles Diamond
08. September 2020 access_time 16:27
Hello Miles,
I have informed Linda about your comment.
I hope she read my email and your comment.
Cheers
Jing
08. September 2020 access_time 21:43
Jing,
Thanks. My father said that the plain was damaged by flak, and that several of the crew, himself included were severely injured. The crash landing in Sweden was their only viable option. Swedish doctors did save his life. As with Bill Mills, this was his second combat mission. And he also died in 1999. Interesting parallel.
Thanks again for your help.
Miles
20. December 2020 access_time 4:27
Dear Miles: In the story my husband told, they suffered flak but the Swedish planes came to show them how to land. I don’t believe there was a crash in Bill’s story. I am sorry about your Dad’s injuries….glad he was saved. I don’t think that Bill was injured. The plane was kept there in Sweden for a while and then scrapped. Said it was one of the worst damaged planes that had landed. Bill was home by Christmas. He brought a camera back and some binoculars. Told this story so well. I wish I had recorded him. Thanks for getting in touch. Merry Christmas. Linda Mills
09. January 2021 access_time 10:51
Thanks for sharing all of this! Jim Finley was my grandfather. He died in 98’. He never really taker about the war. As an adult, I’m happy to hear the stories now.