Production-block:
B-17G-45-BO: 42-97173 to 42-97435
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 398th Bomb Group
- 91st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 323rd Bomb Squadron
- RCL: OR-
MACR: 8323
History of
B-17 42-97173 / Take It Easy
Delivered Cheyenne 15/2/44; Rapid City 5/3/44; Dow Fd 21/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 25/4/44; no missions transferred 323BS/91BG [OR- ] Bassingbourn 9/5/44; Missing in Action {12m} Etaples 8/7/44 with Jim Fore, Co-pilot: Don Briwell, Navigator: Bob Ward, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Phelps, Radio Operator: Chasten Bowen, Ball turret gunner: George Sherman, Waist gunner: Jim Zeiger,Tail gunner: Bernard Scharf (8 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Milton Gaswirth (Killed in Action); flak, exploded in mid-air, crashed Buray, near Nonancourt, N of Dreux, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 8323. TAKE IT EASY.
Last updated: 19. July 2017
16. February 2022 access_time 18:16
I have already sent messages …dont know if have been received… several false informations about where the bomber crash took pace and about what happen to the 9 airmen.
16. February 2022 access_time 18:58
Several false informations about crash place of B17-97173 “Take It Easy” ( Coudres ; 48°52’8″ N / 1°14’56” E.
9 airmen: 1 KIA, 2 prisoners immediatly by german soldiers, 5 hid and sheltered by french underground, finally POW in Paris, cause betrayed by Gestapo agent ( Désoubrie) infiltred inside french resistance.
1 airman, the co-piloted escaped, hid and sheltered by french underground waiting american 3rd Army/5th Armored Division, saved on August 15
10. March 2024 access_time 18:49
The picture is of the original crew of Take It Easy. My father was the ball turret gunner that was shot down ( 7/8/44) over France and taken prisoner (George Sherman). Not able to find picture of the his crew.
03. June 2023 access_time 1:14
Crew and Nose Art Photo can be found at http://www.91stbombgroup.com/crewphotos/take_it_easy.html
Radio Call Letter was OR-A, not OR-L which was 42-97956 “Pard”