B-17G " Bad Penny "  42-39904    613th

13 May 1944   Mission # 69   Target: Stettin


                  13 May 1944 , 09:00 engines are on.
                  21 aircraft were airborne by 09:45 , mission #69 , Primary target was a oil refinery at Politz.

                  When broken clouds became a solid undercast over Germany, the Wing Leader ordered bombing of the secondary target,
                  the City of Stettin.
                  One 401st aircraft, piloted by Lt. S. N. Tonti, was hit by flak and, after limping to the Danish coast escorted by
                  friendly fighters.

Missing Air Crew Report : 4785

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

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

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :N-N-E.
       Target : Politz / Stettin.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Visibility about 5 miles , haze with 6/10 undercast.

4.    Last know date : 13 May 1944
       time : 14:28
       location : 5342 - 1340 E.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : Engine trouble

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-39904

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Bad Penny

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 Sullivan Nick Tonti 2nd Lt 0-749704 INT
Copilot Gerge Kenneth Evans 2nd Lt 0-75590? INT
Navigator Wyndall La Casse 2nd Lt 0-707531 INT
Bombardier Robert James Rocco 2nd Lt 0-752959 INT
Radio Operator Adolphus Kindon Hutchison S/Sgt 18125070 INT
Engr / Top Turret Harry George Bower S/Sgt 13093373 KIA
Ball Turret Gunner Thomas Harold Smith Sgt 15337955 INT
Tail Gunner Mahlon Warner Desso Sgt 14126271 INT
Left Waist Gunner William Loyd Patterson Jr. Sgt 17032418 INT
Right Waist Gunner John Ray Moultrie Sgt 34508153 INT
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Bernard Schwartz            2nd Lt      0-689665       613 th

-    A/C dropped out of formation approximately 20 minutes before it disappeared.
      It fired red flares.
      Then it turned toward the north and was then lost sight of due to the limited visability.




Mission to Stettin, Poland, Crashed landed in Sweden.





Ardennes cemetery, Belgium
Plot : B , Row : 34 , Grave : 8.
1922 - 1944






Will be continued soon



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