B-17G " Badland Bat "   42-31521    615th

29 April 1944   Mission # 60   Target: Berlin


                  29 April 1944 , 06:40 engines are on.
                  21 aircraft were airborne by 07:30 , mission #60 , target today are Railroad marshalling yards in Berlin.

                  The 401st was part of a force of over 1,000 heavy bombers which dropped over 2,000 tons of bombs on Berlin
                  in the largest daytime blow ever struck at the Reich.
                  While the 401st did not encounter any enemy fighters , flak over the target was extremely heavy and accurate.
                  As a result the 401st lost three aircraft and crews, those piloted by Lt. Donald E. Butterworth (42-31226),
                  Capt. George Gould (42-31521) and Lt. J. H. Singleton (42-31116).

Missing Air Crew Report : 4346

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 615th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :South - west.
       Target : Berlin.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : 10/10 undercast,CAVU at altitude.

4.    Last know date : 29 April 1944
       time : 11:55
       location : 5200 - 1210 E.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : Enemy anti-aircraft

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-31521

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Badland Bat

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 George Gould Capt 0-900201 POW
Copilot Frank Linc 2nd Lt 0-693383 POW
Navigator Robert Frederick Lotz 2nd Lt 0-752690 POW
Bombardier Jay Albert Wade 2nd Lt 0-694529 POW
Radio Operator Hugh Donald Reddy S/Sgt 37390073 POW
Engr / Top Turret George Frederick Gould S/Sgt 11094909 POW
Ball Turret Gunner Charles Richard Warlow S/Sgt 16031863 POW
Tail Gunner John Allen Cumpson Sgt 33408910 POW
Left Waist Gunner James Houston McGaha Sgt 18192379 POW
Right Waist Gunner Ralph Willard Meeks Sgt 13133957 POW
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Frank P. Fraioli            1st Lt      0-683234       ??? th

-    After being apparantly hit by flak, A/C feathered # 3 engine.
      A/C dropped behind , trying to salvo turret.
      Pilot then asked for fighter support and said that he was going to try to make it back.
      Turned off with 2 feathered engines.




Mission to Berlin, Germany, Hit by flak, A/C feathered # 3 engine and dropped behind.
Crashed near Gifhorn, Germany



Will be continued soon



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