Source:
www.fold3.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-70-DL: 42-3483 to 42-3503, B-17G-1-DL: 42-3483 to 42-3503 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 482nd Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 812th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | MI-G |
| MACR | 3362 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (06 March 1944) |
History of
B-17 42-3491 / Chopstick-G George
Delivered Denver 11/7/43; Grenier 18/8/43; Assigned 812BS/482BG [MI-G] Alconbury 20/8/43 (H2-X); Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Maj Fred Rabo, Co-pilot: John Morgan, Ball turret gunner: Bill Westcott, Waist gunner: Steve Keaton (4 Prisoner of War); Navigator: Capt John Crotty{385BG}, rad/nav-Capt Ken Klotz, Bombardier: Capt Lou Dentoni, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Francis Foote, to-Tom Kon, Waist gunner: Ed Friesorger,Tail gunner: Lt Walter Regoli{385BG}, Mis/CO-Col Russell Wilson{4BW} (6 Killed in Action); flak hit, ship broke up and crashed Lake Harvel, near Berlin, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3362.
B-17 42-3491 / Chopstick-G George Details
Hit by flak. Photos shoes the aircraft just seconds before it explodes on the March 6, 1944 Berlin Raid. Note the H2X Mickey unit under the nose. Copilot John C Morgan received the Medal of Honor to a mission on 26 July 1943. He is the only Medal of Honor recipient to have been held as a Prisoner of War after being awarded the Medal.
447th BG Website noted, that the picutre shows the B-17 #42-5909. But a closer to you the tail, the numbers 91 are visible.
This page was last updated on 21 November 2019
25. July 2017 access_time 16:09
I spoke with Fred Rabo in 1997. He was a walnut farmer north of Sacramento and he assured me the airplane did not break up, it exploded. Fred was the PIC and my cousin was the mission commander, COL Russell Wilson who was KIA. Col. Wilson was in the nose compartment when A/C was hit and Fred saw him trying to get the escape hatch open moments before the aircraft exploded. Fred had already issued the bail out order and he and John were both out of their seats heading to bail out position when explosion occurred blowing both he and Morgan safely away from A/C along with a couple of other survivors.
25. July 2017 access_time 16:23
Very interesting facts. Thank you very much for sharing!
30. April 2020 access_time 3:20
Hey Bill, My Great Uncle was John Crotty. I only heard stories that were 3rd and 4th hand. I was wondering if you had any more stories from Fred about that raid.
09. April 2025 access_time 19:51
I am looking for information for my family member, “Capt Kenneth Klotz.” I don’t have many photos of him and I am generally interested in his life and military career, especially pertaining to this last raid.