On 2 April 1944 I was a waist gunner in B-17G #32097 which was flying No. 9 position in the formation. I was watching out of the window just after we came off the target when I saw flame spurt from behind the No. 2 engine on B-17G #32013. At that time it was flying No. 6 position in the Company Front formation. The plane dropped back and around to the left of our formation, flying a level course parallel to our formation. Immediately thereafter, nine (9) parachutes came out of the plane, eight (8) of them opening. I watched for the ninth parachute, but it was falling straight down and disappeared in a group of clouds. The plane was flying a straight and level course off to the southwest of our formation when I last saw it. Later, it was reported to have crashed into a mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
S\/Sgt. Darl L. Borcherdt<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was tail gunner in B-17G #32033 on 2 April, 1944. My plane was #2 ship in the second element of the squadron formation. Lt Koehne, flying B-17G #32013 in #6 position pulled over to the right of our formation to a company front position just before we came on the target. Then losing speed and altitude, for what reason I don’t know; I could not see anything wrong with his plane, he came under and behind our formation. Fighters attacked his plane but soon stopped because of our guns (that is the formations guns).<\/p>\n\n\n\n After this, Lt Koehne in B-17G #32013 went way over to the left of our formation. He did not seem to be losing any more altitude or speed. He was then five minutes off the target. After this his plane went over to the right of our formation losing more altitude and falling way back. Lt Koehne was then drawing two ME-110’s and I could see flashes coming from his plane, shooting at the ME-110’s. His ship then making large circles lost altitude but was still under control. I did not see any chutes come from B-17G #32013, but there was snow on the mountains so there may have been some and I couldn’t see them. Lt Koehne’s plane then crashed into the side of a mountain. It was about ten minutes after we had left the target that the ship crashed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n S\/Sgt. Robert M. Hackel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was tail gunner in B-17G #32046 on 2 April 1944. My plane was leading the second element of the squadron formation. Lt Koehne, flying B-17G #32013 in No. 6 position, pulled over to the right of our formation to a company front position just after we came off the target. Then losing speed and altitude, his plane dropped below and behind our formation. He was flying a straight course and was trying to keep up with the formation for protection. One of the plane’s engines was smoking. He kept pretty well up with us for about ten minutes, then swung to the right of our formation, losing altitude fast and drawing fighters. Two (2) ME-110’s attacked the plane which began to circle as it descended. I did not see any parachutes come out. The plane appeared to be under control as it descended and crashed into the side of a mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sgt. James H. McLeod<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: MACR 3887<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Delivered Denver 15\/1\/44; Omaha 1\/2\/44; MacDill 5\/2\/44; Morrison 11\/3\/44; Assigned 813BS\/483BG Tortorella 30\/3\/44; transferred 347BS\/99BG Tortorella 31\/3\/44; Missing in Action {1m} Steyr, Aus. 2\/4\/44 with John Koehne, Armatoski, Chumley, Meyer, Warnek, Lee, Fulert, Perkins, Uzae, McMinn; enemy aircraft, crashed Spanheim, near Wolfsberg, Austria. No chutes seen; Missing Air Crew Report 3887. 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