
Production-block:
B-17G-15-VE: 42-97436 to 42-97535
Manufacturer:
Lockheed/Vega
- Bomb Group:
- 100th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 418th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: LD-B
MACR: 3043 / KSU/ME/KU: 652A
History of
B-17 42-97491 / Ronnie R
Delivered Cheyenne 30/11/43; Kearney 16/12/43; Romulus 31/12/43; Assigned 418BS/100BG [LD-B] Thorpe Abbotts 6/1/44; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Dean Radtke, Co-pilot: Gordon Devault, Navigator: Bob Reilly, Bombardier: Bill Agnetti, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Van Pinner{Wounded in Action}, Radio Operator: Bob Ray, Waist gunner: Chas Allen, Waist gunner: Dick Kerwin,Tail gunner: Theo Mangum {Wounded in Action} (9 Prisoner of War); Ball turret gunner: Joe Kroczynski (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Twirstringen (Telbrkae?), two miles E of Vechta, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3043. RONNIE R.
Last updated: 1. April 2021
B-17 42-97491 / Ronnie R Crew
Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
P | 1LT | Dean M. Radtke | POW | - |
CP | 2LT | Gordon E. DeVault | POW | - |
NAV | 2LT | Robert M. Reilly | POW | - |
BOMB | 2LT | William B. Agnetti | POW | - |
ENG/TT | T/SGT | Van D. Pinner | POW | - |
RO | T/SGT | Robert Ray | POW | - |
BT | S/SGT | Joseph C. Kroczynski | KIA | - |
WG | S/SGT | Charles F. Allen | POW | - |
WG | S/SGT | Richard K. Kerwin | POW | - |
TG | S/SGT | Theodore E. Mangum | POW | - |
03. September 2020 access_time 16:00
My grandfather was waist gunner Dick Kerwin. He parachuted out of Ronnie R as it was going down. Was captured and was POW to the end of the war. He lived to the late 1990s.
19. October 2021 access_time 1:10
My grandfather was the co-pilot. Gordon DeVault. He rarely talked about his time in the war, which is completely understandable. I have been gathering information about his time, if you have any information or stories. Please let me know. Thank you.
03. November 2021 access_time 3:36
My great grandfather Dean Radtke was the pilot I don’t have a lot of information about it but I wish I could find pictures are any other info also