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
17. November 2022 access_time 0:16
My father, T/Sgt Van D. Pinner, was the Flight Engineer /top turret gunner on the Ronnie R on the day it was shot down. It was his birthday. He survived his time as a POW and lived a full and happy life providing for and loving his family. He passed away in 1997. I remember that he kept in touch occasionally with Bob Ray and Dean Radtke after the war. Like other WW2 vets, my dad didn’t talk about it much, but as I grew older I was able to get him to share some of his experiences. These were courageous men to whom we owe tremendous gratitude. Our freedom is not free and they were willing to pay.
19. March 2023 access_time 1:19
That’s amazing. They were a different kind of man then. I was never fortunate enough to met him or my grandfather Ronald Radtke Ronnie He passed away just months bidet I was born, in January 1990. Thank you for the comment.
10. December 2024 access_time 5:18
My grandfather Robert Reilly was the navigator and I only got to hear stories second-hand. He passed when I was too young to hear those stories. If anyone has any information, stories or photos please reach out. The man is my hero.