B-17 Flying Fortress
People gather around B-17 (TU-B/42-31612). The aircraft was shot down by flak on February 22nd 1944 on its way back from Aschersleben (Junkers Airplane Works) near "Gut Muthagen"/Geilenkirchen. CREW: Lt. William H. Ritzema (POW), Lt. Paul D. Straw (POW), Lt. Robert V. Shuss (POW), Lt. Lorin A. Wolfe (POW), S/Sgt/ Richard H. Stewart (POW), Sgt. Frank De Marco (KIA), Sgt. John H. Zundel (POW), Sgt. Octavio A. Duran (POW), Sgt. William H. Leach (POW), Sgt. Donald C. Pearson). With permission of the Stadtarchive of Übach-Palenberg/Jürgen Klosa. From the German Magazine ‘Fliegerblatt’ edition 6 in 2018 (page 140) it shows that this picture was made by Mr Heinz Ruland. At the time of the crash he was 14 years old.
People gather around B-17 (TU-B/42-31612). The aircraft was shot down by flak on Feb 22 1944 on its way back from Aschersleben (Junkers Airplane Works) near "Gut Muthagen"/Geilenkirchen. CREW: Lt. William H. Ritzema (POW), Lt. Paul D. Straw (POW), Lt. Robert V. Shuss (POW), Lt. Lorin A. Wolfe (POW), S/Sgt/ Richard H. Stewart (POW), Sgt. Frank De Marco (KIA), Sgt. John H. Zundel (POW), Sgt. Octavio A. Duran (POW), Sgt. William H. Leach (POW), Sgt. Donald C. Pearson). With permission of the Stadtarchive of Übach-Palenberg/Jürgen Klosa
People gather around B-17 (TU-B/42-31612). The aircraft was shot down by flak on February 22nd 1944 on its way back from Aschersleben (Junkers Airplane Works) near "Gut Muthagen"/Geilenkirchen. CREW: Lt. William H. Ritzema (POW), Lt. Paul D. Straw (POW), Lt. Robert V. Shuss (POW), Lt. Lorin A. Wolfe (POW), S/Sgt/ Richard H. Stewart (POW), Sgt. Frank De Marco (KIA), Sgt. John H. Zundel (POW), Sgt. Octavio A. Duran (POW), Sgt. William H. Leach (POW), Sgt. Donald C. Pearson (POW). With permission of the Stadtarchive of Übach-Palenberg/Jürgen Klosa. From the German Magazine ‘Fliegerblatt’ edition 6 in 2018 (page 140) it shows that this picture was made by Mr Heinz Ruland. At the time of the crash he was 14 years old.
Delivered Mid Continental Airways Modification Center, Denver 28/11/43; Kearney 17/12/43; Syracuse 2/1/44; Presque Is 4/1/44;
Assigned 510BS/351BG [TU-B] Polebrook 30/1/44;
Missing in Action 8m Oschersleben 22/2/44
Crew as follows. Pilot: Bill Ritzema, Co-pilot: Paul Straw, Navigator: Bob Shuss (Wounded in Action), Bombardier: Lorin Wolfe (Wounded in Action), Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Rich Stewart, Ball turret gunner: Bill Leach, Waist gunner: John Zundel (Wounded in Action - lost leg), Waist gunner: Octavio Duran, Tail gunner: Don Pearson (9 Prisoner of War);
Radio Operator: Frank DeMarco (Killed in Action);
Severe flak damage, bellied on Gut Muthagen near Gelsenkirchen-Aachen Road (L164), near Uebach-Palenberg, nine miles north of Aachen, Germany; Missing Air Crew Report 2657.
Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Squadron
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. 5 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Suffered chest wound from flak. Baled out. Died on...
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: AM, GC, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Suffered chest wound from flak. Baled out. Died on ground from wounds....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Six combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Broke leg on landing. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR...
Military | Major General | Co-Pilot | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured | Inglewood, CA | 1943 |
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Built at Boeing. |
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| Delivered | Delivered Mid Continental Airways Modification Center, Denver, CO | 28 November 1943 |
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Delivered Mid Continental Airways Modification Center, Denver 28-Nov-43. |
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| Assigned | Polebrook, UK | 30 January 1944 |
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Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | Git Muthagen near 52531 Übach-Palenberg, Germany | 22 February 1944 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) Oschersleben with Ritzema crew; flak damaged, belly landing 9 x POW, 1 x KIA MACR 2657 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 October 2021 19:54:35 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 October 2021 15:18:36 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, description, events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28615377 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 October 2020 15:33:43 | CWilkinson | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Addition of word "Pilot" in reference to Bill Ritzema, for clarity, for the crew description. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 May 2019 11:19:18 | phil marchese | Changes to production block number, markings and description |
| Sources | ||
AAM image: camouflage & markings |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 January 2018 21:38:06 | wimhm.slangen | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Wim Slangen |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 August 2016 12:24:22 | Lucy May | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Removed the names of Lieutenants John Jonaitis and David Van De Walle from the crew list. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:39 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2657 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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