Production-block:
B-17G-90-BO 43-38474 to 43-38673
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 388th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 561st Bomb Squadron
MACR: 12432 / KSU/ME/KU: 3701
Missions: 10
History of
B-17 43-38623 / Easy Does It
Delivered Cheyenne 25/8/44; Patterson 7/9/44; Hunter 15/9/44; Grenier 23/9/44; Assigned: 561BS/388BG Knettishall 20/10/44; taxi accident Pilot: ground crew at Stansted 2/12/44; MIA Frankfurt 17/2/45 w/Bob Taylor, Bob Mount, Bill Tallant, Tom Walsh, Warren Hammond, Carl Kindelt, Bill Hartley, Wayne Logan, Bryce Grant {tg}, Bill Olson {photos} (10KIA); flak, crashed Hanau, Germany. MACR 12432. EASY DOES IT.
Last updated: 14. March 2021
B-17 43-38623 / Easy Does It Details
Interrogation Report from MACR 12432:
This a/c received a direct flak hit in the left wing and probably in the rear part of the waist. The left wing caught fire, than blew up. The a/c went into a tight spin. The tail section floated earthward. One crew reports seeing 3 chutes possible from this a/c.
Source: MACR 12432
B-17 43-38623 / Easy Does It Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Robert Benson Taylor | KIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Robert Nelson Mount | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | William Joseph Tallant | KIA | - |
| BOMB | F/O | Thomas John Walsh | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Warren G. Hammond | KIA | - |
| RO | SGT | Carl Kindelt | KIA | - |
| BT | S/SGT | William Henry Hartley | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Wayne L. Logan | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Bryce Gordon Grant | KIA | - |
| PHOTO | T/SGT | William D. Olsen | KIA | - |
06. February 2020 access_time 12:33
Nachtrag: hier das gleiche Problem – Absturzort: Hanau zwischen Hauptbahnhof und Ehrichstraße.
Grüße Jens Arndt
14. March 2021 access_time 10:22
Hallo Jens, danke für die Korrektur.
Habe es in der Karte hinzugefügt.
Gruß
Jing
13. October 2020 access_time 20:08
I know all 10 are listed as KIA but what about the three possible chutes seen by another crew? Anyone follow-up on that? Any additional information?
14. March 2021 access_time 2:50
The Information you have on this page is “not” correct, as this is not the “Easy Does It” B-17 Plane Number: 43-38623 or its Crew.
The correct Plane Number for “Easy Does It” is 43-38234, which you do have at the following URL link on your website:
https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/43-38234-easy-does-it/
The Pilot of the real B-17 “Easy Does It” still living at the age of 98 and is my wife’s Great Uncle, Lieutenant Donald “Don” R. Freer.
You might wish to review the Oral History given by Lieutenant Freer regrading the downing of his B-17 “Easy Does It”, which was shot down over Germany and he was taken as a Prisoner of War, along with his crew that survived the initial hit and he then ordered them to parachute from the plane and waited until he was sure the remaining crew safely parachuted from the plane while he kept the plane in flight, as best possible, and was last to leave the plane through and escape window in the cockpit that he became stuck in and fortunately eventually freed himself and parachuted safely, which is detailed at the following URL link:
https://digital.library.shsu.edu/digital/collection/p16042coll1/id/28/#
Thank you for creating this website and I hope this information is helpful in assuring in accuracy.
14. March 2021 access_time 10:06
Hello John,
thank you very much for the information Sometimes, the information mixup with different ships. So, I am very happy if I get correct information.
I this case, I think it’s different ‘Easy Does It’ than Lt. Donald R. Freer’s ship. Because these are in different units.
03. February 2023 access_time 17:04
Hello, my great uncle is Warren G Hammond and after doing some research I found that he was the only member from his B17 “Easy Does It” to be able to escape the craft. he was then caught by local police and turned over to the Gestapo with 2 airmen from another plane. I’ll share the story here.
https://aircrewremembered.com/taylor-robert-b.html
Warren G. Hammond was born on May 31, 1925 in Rhode Island. He resided in Providence County, Rhode Island prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on July 21, 1943 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was noted as being employed as a Stock Clerk and also as Single, without dependents. Warren served as a Technical Sergeant, 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
Sgt Hammond was the Engineer on the B-17G 43-38623 “Easy Does It” that was shot down over Hanau on 17 February 1945. Hammond successfully parachuted from the plane but was captured on the ground by the Hanau police who turned him over to the Gestapo. He was executed in the courtyard behind the Gestapo headquarters by a single shot to the head. Sgt Hammond was Killed in Action on February 17, 1945 in Germany at the age of 19 and is now buried in the Alice Hunt Cemetery, Canaan, Essex County, Vermont, USA. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 – August 1945.
Source of information: http://www.findagrave.com
03. February 2023 access_time 17:08
https://aircrewremembered.com/taylor-robert-b.html