B-17G   42-31930    613th

22 February 1944   Mission #26   Target: Oschersleben/Magdeburg


                  22 February 44 , 0815 hours , engines are on.
                  32 aircraft were airborne by 0935 , mission #26 , target today is a Aircraft manufacturing plant in Oschersleben , Germany,
                  but when the formation reached the target, it was under cloud cover and Magdeburg was attacked instead.

                  The plane was shot down by fighters and flak.
                  All men except one , bailed out and are POW`s

Missing Air Crew Report : 2660

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 613th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :North - East.
       Target : Oschersleben, Germany.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : 9/10 undercast.

4.    Last know date : 22 feb 1944
       time : 14:0
       location : 51° 25' - 09° 55'.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : enemy aircrafts

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-31930

7.    Nickname of aircraft : --

8.    Engines : R-1820-97.

10.  Persons listed below listed as : Battle Casualties.

11.  Persons on board : Crew : 10.

12.  List crew position , name , rank , serial no. and current status :
Pilot Loy McClain Shanks 2nd Lt. 0-803288 POW
Copilot Alfred Peoples Mayne 2nd Lt 0-687314 POW
Navigator Edward Wheeler Wenrich 2nd Lt 0-690518 POW
Bombardier Thomas Henry Edkin 2nd Lt 0-682088 POW
Radio Operator Mario Nicholas Santangelo T/Sgt 32792053 POW
Engr / Top Turret William Robert Jarrett T/Sgt 35334215 KIA
Ball Turret Gunner Hardney Aaron Gibson S/Sgt 13117804 POW
Tail Gunner Harold Edward Rodgers S/Sgt 32487815 POW
Left Waist Gunner Glen Lawrence Hauck Sgt 35698611 POW
Right Waist Gunner Fred G. Anderson Sgt 37544469 POW
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Thomas H. Holland     S/Sgt.        38211220        613th
Donald A. Hecker        T/Sgt.        36522865        613th
John H. Nicely              S/Sgt.        13156041        613th

-     Plane peeled off just as Focke Wulf 190 attacked.
      Dropped to 10-12.000 Ft and leveled off.
      All 4 engines were running when last seen.
      Being attacked by 2 enemy planes ( thought to be 190's ) as it headed due West at 10.000 Ft.




Mission to Magdeburg, germany, Plane peeled off just as Focke Wulf 190 attacked. Chrashed near Haaren, Germany




Will be continued soon



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