42-29645 Wiley Witch

media-57304.jpeg UPL 57304 B-17 42-29645 'Wiley Witch'.

Object Number - UPL 57304 - B-17 42-29645 'Wiley Witch'.

Delivered Denver 23/1/43; Salina 29/1/43; Morrison 8/3/43; Assigned 49BS/2BG Navarin, Alg 17/4/43; Chateau-du-Rhumel, Alg 27/4/43; Ain M'Lila, Alg 17/6/43; Massicault, Tun 31/7/43; Bizerte, Tun 2/12/43; Amendola, It 9/12/43; Missing in Action Sofia 24/1/44 with Chas McCrary, Co-pilot: Gene Lucas, Navigator: John Bascu, Bombardier: Chas Olsen, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Donnelly, Radio Operator: Bob Washman, Ball turret gunner: Howard Christensen, Waist gunner: Carlo Veneziano, Waist gunner: Chas Allee,Tail gunner: De Los Johnson (10 Returned to Duty); ditched off Civitanova, 15 miles east of Bari; crew rescued. WILEY WITCH.



Ditched into the Mediterranean sea a few hours after the mission. Crew was that of 2nd Lt Charles McCrary assigned to the “Wiley Witch” for the mission crash landed onto the water fifteen nautical miles east-northeast off the coast of Bari Italy because of a fuel shortage, strong headwinds, and a run-away propeller. The plane stayed afloat for about twenty minutes before it sank. The crew made it safely into their assigned life rafts, one of which only half inflated, so they lashed the two rafts together and started paddling toward the coast of Bari Italy. There were three Italian fishing vessels in the vicinity whose search lights spotlighted their rafts, but none picked them up as they were rescuing crews from other aircraft. The crew of the "Wiley Witch" made it to shore midday the next day and started walking towards Bari. They came to a British Army camp where they were fed and put to bed after the exhausting day. The 26th General Hospital were called and an ambulance was sent to pick up the crew. All of the men suffered from exposure, one had frozen feet and another a slight burn.

Connections

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Units served with

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Twelfth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Bomb Group 49th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32236175 / O-749416
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Bomb Group 49th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37440658
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Bomb Group 49th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32532132
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
  • Role/Job: Waist gunner

Events

Event Location Date Description

Delivered

Denver, CO, USA 23 January 1943 Delivered to USAAF.

Assigned

Navarin, Algeria 17 April 1943 Assigned 49BS, 2BG, 15F USAAF.

Crashed

15 miles off Bari, Italy 24 January 1944 Missing in Action Sofia 24-Jan-44 ditched off Civitanova, 15 miles east of Bari; crew rescued. 10 x RTD.

Manufactured

Seattle, WA, USA Built at Boeing.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorFrothingbadger
Changes
Sources

42-29645B-17 FLYING FORTRESS
Wiley Witch
North Africa.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

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