Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

"Whodat"/"The Dingbat" (GD-K)

Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-10-DL Flying Fortress

s/n 42-37754

534th BS, 381st BG, 8th AF

On the March 28,1944 mission to bomb the airfield at Reims/Champagne,France the aircraft took a direct flak hit just behind the waist gun positions (hole is visible behind left waist window), killing both waist gunners and the tail gunner instantly and wounding another man. The pilots were able to limp the plane home without any of the tail controls operable. Once the got over their home base the pilot ordered the enlisted men to bail out, he then turned the plane towards the channel, set the autopilot and the officers bailed out too. The survivors were returned to duty after a stay in the hospital and a leave to the 'flak house'.

 

1st Lt. Daniel C. Henry - Pilot (O-803619)

2nd Lt. Robert W. Crisler - CoPilot (O-751959)

2nd Lt. Fred Beardsworth - Navigator (O-809503)

2nd Lt. Rudolph J. Jasiak - Bombardier (O-746889)

T/Sgt. Sebastian Quaresma - Engineer/Gunner (32518732)

S/Sgt. Carl A. Mongrue - Radio Operator (18151927) WIA - shrapnel piece in forearm/not serious.

*S/Sgt. Kyle B. Wheatley - Ball Turret Gunner (33214400)

S/Sgt. James F. Norcom - Waist Gunner (33325382) KIA

S/Sgt. Richard Toler - Waist Gunner (35636311) KIA

S/Sgt Frank J. Kurtz - Tail Gunner (32707711) KIA

 

*The regular ball turret gunner was S/Sgt. Moe Kluger (32711501)

Done