Production-block:
B-17G-35-BO: 42-31932 to 42-32116
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 95th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 335th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: OE-X
MACR: 2982 / KSU/ME/KU: 1116
Missions: 9
History of
B-17 42-32002 / Berlin First
Delivered Cheyenne 14/1/44; Gr Island 30/1/44; Assigned 335BS/95BG [OE-X] Horham 11/2/44; 9m, Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Tom Barksdale, Co-pilot: Dave Atwood, Navigator: Fred Biddle, Bombardier: Gus Briding, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Mike Kovich, Radio Operator: Edgar Jurist, Ball turret gunner: Andy Brown, Waist gunner: Chas Hatton, Waist gunner: Paul Fredenburg, Tail gunner: Jim Jackson (10 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft KO’d #3 & #4, leveled off then #2 caught fire, crashed Barnsdorf, near railtrack to Bremen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 2982. BERLIN FIRST.
Last updated: 6. March 2021
B-17 42-32002 / Berlin First Details
B-17G 42-32002 piloted by 2nd Lt. Thomas L. Barksdale, was seen to be hit by enemy fighters at 12:10 hours north of Osnabruck, Germany on the route into the target. The number 2 engine caught on fire and the aircraft went down. Five chutes were seen to leave the ship.
Source: MACR 2982
B-17 42-32002 / Berlin First Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Thomas L. Barksdale | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | David B. Atwood | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Fred O. Biddle | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | August J. Briding | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Mike Kovich | POW | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Edgar A. Jurist | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Andrew James Brown | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Earl S. Fredenburg | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Charles H. Hatton | POW | - |
| TG | S/SGT | James G. Jackson | POW | - |
03. December 2017 access_time 18:34
Dave Atwood, co-pilot, was my father. Retired Command Pilot B-52s, died August 1, 1994 in Miami, FL, where he retired with his family. Wife Alice, sons Paul(died Aug 1968), and Charles; Daughters Susan and Nancy.
23. April 2018 access_time 7:46
My 2nd cousin, Andrew J. Brown, was a turret gunner who died trying to put out the fire on the plane. He died as a result of the emergency landing. Have not yet located the full citation but here is what I have “March 24, 1945.—-Mrs. Lula L. Brown, Jayton (Texas), has received citations posthumously awarding her son. T.-Sgt. Andrew J. Brown, Air Corps, the Silver Star, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf clusters, representing three additional awards. The Silver Star was awarded “for gallantry in action while returning from a heavy bombardment mission June 4, 1944. Shortly before arriving at the base, fire of undetermined origin broke out, and fed by oxygen, quickly ‘turned the plane into a blazing inferno’. The crew started bailing out, but Sergeant Brown, top turret gunner, grabbed an extinguisher and desperately endeavored to bring the fire under control”….
23. April 2018 access_time 9:02
Andrew J. Brown is listed as POW with this B-17 on March 06 1944. I am not sure, if your 2nd cousin was the same Andrew J. Brown on this B-17.