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Source:
http://www.385thbga.com
Production-block:
B-17G-40-DL: 44-6001 to 44-6125
Manufacturer:
Douglas
- Bomb Group:
- 385th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 548th Bomb Squadron
MACR: 11718
Missions: 1
History of
B-17 44-6100 / Miss D-Day
Delivered Tulsa 4/5/44; Kearney 10/5/44; Grenier 24/5/44; Assigned 548BS/385BG [GX- ] Gt Ashfield 27/5/44; 1m Missing in Action Cologne 9/1/45 with Rifas Missing Air Crew Report 11718. MISS `D’ DAY.
Last updated: 26. May 2019
B-17 44-6100 / Miss D-Day Details
As stated in the Missing Air Crew Report:
Aircraft 44-6100, returning from operational mission to Frankfurt, Germany on 8 January 1945, landed at emergency landing strip, A-70, Laon-Couvron, France. Radio message was received at station 155, that this aircraft had been given clearance on the afternoon of 9 January 1945, but due to weather conditions on the continent it was believed that clearance had been cancelled, as no further contact was made by either A-70 or station 155.
The bodies of two of the crew frozen together in a life raft [2 Lt. John W. Skoff, bombardier, and S/Sgt. Lowey I. Boyd, ball turret gunner] were picked up at 50 – 40 N, 00 – 20 E, 13 January 1945, by Air/Sea Rescue and taken to New Haven Mortuary.
B-17 44-6100 / Miss D-Day Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Leonard Rifas | MIA | - |
| CP | 2LT | Charles M. Jones | MIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Robert G. Chandler | MIA | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | John W. Skoff | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | William D. Finkbiner | MIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Wilmer W. Sherwood | MIA | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Lowey I. Boyd | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | John H. Parrish | MIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Dwain R. Rasmussen | MIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Alphonse J. Novetske | MIA | - |
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