B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-97913

History of
B-17 42-97913

Delivered Tulsa 3/4/44; Hunter 16/6/44; Dow Fd 28/6/44; Assigned 815BS/483BG Sterparone 3/7/44; Missing in Action Moosbeirbaum, Aus 28/8/44 with Jonas Blank, Corenthal, Penn, Emmett Jones, Perperone, Schreiner, Nicholaisen (7 Prisoner of War); Whye, Tucker, Cunningham (3 evaded capture & reurn 10/9/44); mechanical failure, crashed Karlstadt; Missing Air Crew Report 11278.

Last updated: 15. September 2024

B-17 42-97913 Details

STATEMENTS

On the way to the target about 50 or 60 miles inside the coast of Yugoslavia a B-17 bearing the number 913 turned to the left out of formation and around 20000 or 22000 feet. When I saw it the waist and tail doors were gone and the bombs were falling from the bomb bay. One man was already out and I counted eight more chutes. The ship made a large circle over the terrain in which the nine chutes were falling and then made three or four more circles. The ship now seemed to get out of control. It hit the ground far behind us and burst into flames. I never did see the tenth chute open but there is a good possibility it may have as the ship was hard to see and it was right over some dark trees, When the men bailed out they opened their cutes right away.

Sgt. Wayne C. Tate
Tail Gunner

The first thing I saw was the ship drop the bombs then I saw fire come out of the bomb bay. Then I saw the waist door fly out and six men came out and three out of the front. None of the men delayed their jumps. AH watched the ship clear to the ground and it seemed to be under control all of the way. I never did see the pilot go out.

Frank D. Mitchel
Ball Turret Gunner

At 1007 over Yugoslavia 45 degrees 30°N, 15 degrees 28′ E, Capt Blank was flying lead ship in #4 Squadron. He dipped his wings and broke away from the formation. As his plane crossed under our ship, which was #3 in the box, a door flew off his plane and one man jumped out immediately, I saw another man jump right afterwards as the plane left my sight under our left wing. At that time our altitude was 25000 feet. Our crew saw nine chutes leave the plane.

2Lt. Roman E. Frankouicz

I looked at the plane and thought cockpit windows and turret were all frosted over, then the pilot opened his window to let the smoke out. Tail door flew off and tail gunner bailed out, his chute opened, and then the waist door flew off. Bomb bay doors were opened, all the bombs were salvoed. Immediately afterwards two men bailed out. Two men went out waist door, and two men went out nose hatch. I counted nine chutes open. Plane kept circling around men in parachutes; it made about three circles and crashed and immediately broke into flames. I think the pilot made it too, because he kept circling his men and evidently wanted to be near them when he bailed out. I couldn’t see him though as it was too far away.

Sgt. Charles W. Stuckert

At 1007 approximately 60 miles into Yugoslavia the airplane piloted by Capt Blank started a turn to the left. After considerable maneuvering, it started to pass underneath our aircraft. We were flying on his left wing at the time. As he started his diving turn to the left we banked left to follow him. I was flying from the copilot’s side and as we turned left I saw the right waist door leave the aircraft. Following the door came a man then another door. Immediately after this the bombs were dropped and as the plane passed beneath our ship and to the left I was unable to observe any further action.

Paul G. Mansur

Source: MACR 11278

B-17 42-97913 Crew