B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-5776 / Eager Beaver

History of
B-17 42-5776 / Eager Beaver

Delivered Long Beach 17/1/43; Salina 27/1/43; Morrison 9/3/43; Assigned 96BS/2BG Navarin, Alg 8/4/43; Chateau-du-Rhumel, Alg 27/4/43; Ain M’Lila, Alg 17/6/43; Massicault, Tun 31/7/43; Bizerte, Tun 2/12/43; Missing in Action {80m} Athens 20/12/43 with Dave Rohrig, Co-pilot: Adolph Dippolito, Navigator: John Back, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Hiskey, Radio Operator: John Caputo (5 Killed in Action); Bombardier: Lloyd Haefs, Ball turret gunner: John Carson, Waist gunner: Lewis Crawford, Waist gunner: Walt Chesser (4 Prisoner of War),Tail gunner: Frank Horner (evaded capture); flak, crashed and exploded, no chutes seen; RTD 29/6/44; Missing Air Crew Report 1518. EAGER BEAVER.

Last updated: 22. April 2022

B-17 42-5776 / Eager Beaver Details

I was flying in B-17 No. 361, directly behind and beneath B-17 No. 776, and about two (2) seconds before bombs away over the target, direct hit on B-17F No. 776 completely sheared off the tail section. It stayed in its normal position only momentarily, then nosed over and went into vertical dive. I could watch it only for a brief time, and in that interval, no one bailed out.

2Lt. Willis H. Knippel
Bombardier on B-17F No. 361

When I first saw B-17F No. 776, it was just after bombs were away. I glanced in it’s direction and at that instant, the tail of the B-17 from the vertical stabilizer back was falling off, and then my attention was diverted by enemy fighters. Four (4) seconds later, I glanced back at the disabled plane, and saw the aircraft fall to pieces in the air. I did not see a single chute come from this B-17.

S/Sgt. Marvin E. Thompson
Tail Gunner on B-17F No. 473

The first I saw of Aircraft No. 42-5776 was just after bombs away, when I saw the front part of the plane in a dive below me and the tail above the main part and more or less, floating down. I continued to watch it until it was almost to the ground, when my attention was called by fighters coming in at us. While I was watching plane No. 776, no one bailed out and I saw no parachutes opened.

S/Sgt. Edward W. Haley
Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F No. 145

After we hit the I.P. and turned right on the bombing run, we held straight level course with a constant speed of 155 miles-per-hour, indicated with no evasive action taken. This lasted for about six (6) minutes before bombs away. As the lead squadron dropped its bombs, I glanced at our element leader, number 776, to see whether it was releasing its bombs also. As I looked that way, barst of flak hit the tail just aft of the waist windows, and I was hit by piece of flak at the same time. I noticed that B-17 No. 776 stayed level for a second or two, and then took a nose dive straight down, and I could see no more.

2Lt. Arthur A. Kreuger
Co-Pilot on B-17F No. 779

Just after bombs away at 1257 hrs, I saw aircraft No. 776 get direct hit by flak, just to the front of the tail wheel, which sheared the tail completely from the rest of the plane. The tail seemed to maintain its altItude briefly, but the rest of the plane made an immediate direct plunge to ward the earth. I followed plane No. 776 down until it hit the ground and did not see anyone bail out nor any parachutes open. It hit the south end of a field, where it exploded, near where a gas dump was blazing due to direct bomb hits just a few seconds before.

2Lt. Nemor Warr
Bombardier on B-17F No. 233

Source: MACR 1518

B-17 42-5776 / Eager Beaver Crew