B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-97105 / Paper Doll

History of
B-17 42-97105 / Paper Doll

Delivered Selfridge Fld 3/2/44; Dorval 4/3/44; Assigned RAF [HB-768]; transferred 561BS/388BG Knettishall 13/3/44; Missing in Action Parchim 7/4/45 with Lew Hickman, Arnold Wolf, Cawthorn Perdue, Albt Vawter, Herman Meyer (5 Prisoner of War); John Hughes, Elwood Eisenhawer, Jim Martin, Bob Wetzel (4 Killed in Action); rammed by Bf109; crashed Luneburg, Ger. (SOC 21/6/47?)

Last updated: 1. August 2021

B-17 42-97105 / Paper Doll Details

I believe Lt. Hughes bailed out of our airplane, after it had been crashed into by a German fighter. The fighter plane knocked off our tail section. About 3 days later a German Flieger investigator brought in four metal indentification Tags, and read Lt. Hughes name from one of then and said he was ‘Kaputt’, meaning they were dead. I do not know how they died or if they were definately dead, as I did not see them again. He may have been killed on descent, or shot it out on the ground with S.S. Troupers.

Sgt. Wetzel was out tail gunner, and I believe he wes killed instantly when a German fighter crashed into the tail section, completely severing it from the rest of the plane.

I believe Sgt. Martin was wounded and unconscious and unable to bail out. Tried to help him out, but his chute harness was caught inside the plane, which was in spin. I tried to get him loose from 19,000 feet to 2000 feet, when it was absolutely necessary for me to leave the plane. I believe Sgt. Martin went down with the plane. The plane burned for some time, and finally exploded after crashing. Our bomb load (6-500 lb. bombs) exploded at once. I was the last one to bail out of the plane.

I believe Sergeant Eisenhauer bailed out of our airplane, after it had been crashed into by a German fighter. The fighter plane knocked off our tail section. About 3 days later a German Flieger investigator brought in four metal indentifications Tags, and read Sgt. Eisenhauers name from one of them and said he was ‘Kaputt’, meaning they were dead. I do not know how they died or if they were definitely dead, as I did not see them again. He may have been killed on descent, or shot it out on the ground with S.S. Troupers.

Sgt. Albert Wesley Vawter

Interrogation Report:

A/C No. 105 was flying No. 2 in the low element of the 388th A Squadron when the formation was attacked by enemy aircraft north of Hanover, This a/c was hit by an ME-109 which knocked off the right elevator and also the rudder, The B-17 pulled out of formation and continued under control for approximately five minutes and did a 360, then went into a spin, disappearing into the clouds below. 1 chute was reported. It was thought by observers that the ME-109 was out of control.

Source: MACR 13724

B-17 42-97105 / Paper Doll Crew