B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 44-6173 / Miss Florala

B-17 #44-6173 / Miss Floralazoom_in

Source:
www.fold3.com

Manufacturer:
Douglas

  • RCL: GD-H

MACR: 13873

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History of
B-17 44-6173 / Miss Florala

Delivered Tulsa 19/5/44; Kearney 30/5/44; Grenier 7/6/44; Assigned 534BS/381BG [GD-H] Ridgewell 28/6/44; Missing in Action Stendahl 8/4/45 with Harvey Adelmeyer, Co-pilot: John Frampton, Navigator: Norman Melvin, tog-Ed Dybicz, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dick Dailey, Waist gunner: Bob Cobb (6 Killed in Action); Radio Operator: Jim Hayden,Tail gunner: Ed Houser (2 Returned to Duty); flak, crashed Gottingen, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 13873. (last group aircraft lost in action) MISS FLORALA.

Last updated: 11. July 2020

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B-17 44-6173 / Miss Florala Details

Extract From Interrogation – MACR 13873

The following is an extract from the Interrogation of returned crew members, T/Sgt. James H. Hayden (Radio Operator) and Sgt. Edward P. Houser (Tail Gunner), aircraft B17G 44-6173, missing in action 8 April 1945.

“Aircraft hit 12:15; bombs away O.K. Bomb-bay door motor afire. Togglier hit by flak in right arm and arm almost torn off. Navigator was taking care of Togglier and went off interphone. Co-Pilot and engineer went up to nose help navigator. Co-Pilot tried to fix bomb-bay motor and then tried to crank doors up but was unseccessful. Evenutally, fire went out and doors only close half-way.

Waist Gunner called and said he had a fire in radio room. Radio Operator found he had a fire in “carpet” set arial to right wing. Smoke got worse, so pilot dived ship to put fire out, but this was unsuccessful and we broke formation when diving; at 10000 feet streightened out. Tail Gunner left tail and five minuted before Radio Operataor kicked waist door off which in turn tore off part of right rudder. Turbo on #3 was seen to be shot up and hanging down. Fire was very bad, burning half-way throught radio room.

Tail Gunner asked Waist Gunner and Engineer if they would jump and they said no. Tail Gunner asked Radio man and about then a #3 gas leak caused ship to explode, blowing right wing off and Tail Gunner landed on his face by door and bailed out from there. Radio Operator was pulled out through door by slip stream and he saw engineer making an effort to get out but did not make it.

Waist Gunner was flat on back, probably unconscious. Tail Gunner somersaulted twice, counted to eight and chute opened while he was on his back. Tail Gunner landed in a tree in a wooded area. Radio Operator came down in clear but near the woods.

Germans started shooting at them while still 1000 feet up and Radio Operator’s chute started spinning once. Tail Gunner got out of harness in tree; tried to pull chute down but could not loosen it from branches, and firing was going on all around him up in the tree about 40-90 feet, so he slipped out of harness to the ground.

He took off flying boots and heated boots; put on G.I. shoes and started looking for Radio Operator who he thought was head from smoke and explosion, but after 50 yards contacted him coming over a hill about 1:30.

This landing area made slightly south of Waake (East of Gottingen) and to our knowledge we were the only two of the crew to get out. Plane landed about one and one-half miles south of us.”

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B-17 44-6173 / Miss Florala Crew

Position Rank Name Status Note
P 2LT Harvey E. Adelmeyer KIA
CP 2LT John W. Frampton KIA
ENG/TT T/SGT Richard L. Dailey KIA
RO T/SGT James H. Hayden RTD
WG SGT Robert E, Cobb KIA
TG SGT Edward P. Houser RTD
TOG S/SGT Edward J. Dybicz KIA

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