| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-40-DL: 42-3229 to 42-3283 |
| Delievered: | Denver |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 95th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 336th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | ET-G |
| MACR | 194 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (25 July 1943) |
History of
B-17 42-3277
Delivered Denver 20/4/43; Dow Fd 25/5/43; Assigned 325BS/92BG Alconbury 15/6/43; transferred 336BS/95BG [ET-G] Horham 16/6/43; 9m, (force landed RAF St Eval 28/6/43); Missing in Action Hamburg 25/7/43 with Lloyd Mauldin, Co-pilot: Eldon Cummins, Navigator: Tom Brick, Bombardier: Henry Skylar, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Sieg, Radio Operator: George Carter, Waist gunner: Edwin Bachman, Waist gunner: Bob Carr,Tail gunner: John Healey (9 Killed in Action); Ball turret gunner: Bill Harwood (Prisoner of War); flak KO’d #3, dropped back and exploded, crashed Kiel-Gaarden, Ger.; Missing Air Crew Report 194.
B-17 42-3277 Details
Eyewitness Statements
In the raid over Kiel, June 25, 1943, we observed that Aircraft No. 42-3277 was hit by anti-aircraft fire between No. 3 and 4 engines, half-rolled over, out of formation and went down. It seemed possible that it could have levelled off; however, this is not a certainty. The hit occurred directly over the target, Kiel, about 1650 hours and flying at an altitude of 22600 ft. Two chutes were seen to leave the ship.
We had dropped our bombs and immediately ran into heavy anti-aircraft fire. Received a direct hit on #3 engine. Flames burned out on wing. We immediately went into a dive, which changed to a tight spin, I was thrown all over radio room. Heard a loud crash and found myself out of the plane, looking down I saw that the plane had broken in half. Fell quite a distance before I could open parachute. Did so finally but was considerably dazed. Saw another parachute some distance from Plane or rather from me. Never saw occupant of other parachute after landing. Tail half of plane passed me on way down. Saw no signs of life. Was captured immediately. Brought to a hospital. Next day I was driven to another hospital at Schleswig, Germany. On the way there one of the guards made me understand that my crew members were in a red brick building. He said they were all dead. How he knew, I dodn’t know. He was a medical orderly. That was the last reference I heard about my crew. Incidentally this building was in Kiel, probably the morgue. He also made me understand that they would be buried with full military honors.
S/Sgt. William T. Harwood
Ball Turret Gunner
Source: MACR 194
B-17 42-3277 Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Lloyd L. Mauldin | KIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Eldon J. Cummins | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Thomas B. Brick | KIA | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Henry Sklar | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Robert L. Sieg | KIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | George A. Carter | KIA | - |
| BT | S/SGT | William T. Harwood | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Elwin L. Bachman | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Robert H. Carr | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | John J. Healey | KIA | - |
This page was last updated on 26 January 2026
26. May 2020 access_time 18:19
There is a typo in the description for the history of B-17 42-3277. The bombardier’s name was Henry Sklar, not “Skylar”. He was a cousin of my father, Arthur Hurwitz and related to my Grandmother, Mary (Sklar) Hurwitz.