B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 44-6182

History of
B-17 44-6182

Delivered Tulsa 25/5/44; Hunter 13/6/44; Dow Fd 28/6/44; Assigned 346BS/99BG Tortorella 5/7/44; Missing in Action {51m} Blechhammer 2/12/44 with Harvey Webb, Timberlake, Oonk, Pepon, Monroe, Corns, Freeman, Burkett, Manzer, Brousseau; flak, crashed Ratibor; no witnesses, only a radio call to lead ship at 12.45hrs; Missing Air Crew Report 10030.

Last updated: 18. September 2022

B-17 44-6182 Details

Eyewitness Statements to the loss of B-17 44-6182

I was flying in ship No. 245, which was leading the squadron on the raid on Blechhammer O/R, on 2 December, 1944. Shortly after the rally the pilot of ship No. 182 called and said he was leaving the formation and dropping down, because he had lost all of his oxygen.

That was the last contact we had with him.

The navigator of our ship, 1Lt. JESSE (NMI) MEERBAUM, states that at that time our position was approximately 125 miles from Russian lines, and ship No. 182 was drifting off course to the left in the general direction of those lines, when he last saw it.

Capt. Frederick A. Reinhardt

I was flying ship No. 286 in number nine (9) position on the mission of, 2 December, 1944. After the rally, I heard over the V. H. F. from ship No. 182 calling the squadron leader that he had lost his oxygen supply and was going to a lower altitude. I last caught sight of ship #182 as he dropped behind and started down and to the left of our formation.

2Lt. Richard C. Schildmeyer

I was navigator on ship 431 on 2 December, 1944. We were flying number three (3) ship in our formation. At 12:56 I saw ship 182, who was flying in back and below our ship drop out of formation. He went down very fast, but still had control of the ship. He was flying in the same direction as we were for as long as I saw him, which was about 10 or 15 minutes. All engines were running and the ship appeared to be In good condition, up until the last time I saw it.

F/O Philip A. Anderson