UPL 27198
IMAGE12 1944-01-27 Aircraft: B-17G (#42-31023). Organization: 339BS / 96BG of Snetterton Heath, Norfolk. ......Pilot: Lemanski, Richard F......... Notes: crash landing. Location: Troston, Suffolk England. Damage (0-5 increasing damage): 4 source: Aviation Archaeology http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/ As Lt. Lemanski commented, "Not a way to land an airplane but ANY landing you can walk away from is a good landing!"
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Units
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-800904
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
Locations
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Station 138
Mission
- Date: 29 January 1944
Revisions
Completed 11 missions to Ludwigshaven , Brunswick, Wilhelmshaven........, Frankfort Mission 198.....
, Rostock, Poznan, Belgium, French and Polish objectives. Shot down by ME 109s on the mission to Berlin on 8 March 1944 in B-17 #4231576. Spent 20th and 21st birthdays and fourteen months as a Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany. Was the youngest pilot in the 96th Bomb Group and probably in the 8th AF. Although some seriously injured, all crew members survived to return home safely. Crew was credited with many fighter kills.