B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 18 October 1942; Presque Island 26 November 1942; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-E] Chelveston 13 December 1942. Missing in Action Paris-Billancourt Renault auto works on 4 April 1943. Pilot Morris M. Jones, Co-Pilot Edward T. Logan, Navigator Homer H. Mohr, Bombardier Robert Fabec, Flight engineer/top turret gunner William H. Johnson, Left Waist gunner Miles L. Cooley, Right Waist gunner Allen M. Fitzgerald, Radio Operator Jack O. Luehrs, Ball turret gunner Edward C. Mescher, Tail gunner: John G. Hollenbeck. Soon after bombs away, #42-5232 was attacked by more than 20 fighters. Engines 2 and 3 are hit and belch smoke, the communications system is out. The tip of the left wing is destroyed, the vertical stabilizer pierced, the oxygen supply system is dead and the Fortress loses altitude and contact with the formation. Luehrs and Fitzgerald manage to shoot down 2 of the fighters (other sources mention 3) before their plane is shot down (credited to Hptm Galland (II/JG26). Crashed near Le Vaudreil, 5km north of Louviers (Eure), France, South of Rouen. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 15592.
Edward Mescher was Killed In Action (KIA). Morris Jones, Homer Mohr and John Hollenbeck managed to evade capture for a while, helped by French citizens and Résistance members but were arrested later. Edward Logan, Robert Fabec, William Johnson and Miles Cooley were immediately captured and made Prisoners of War (POW). Two men managed to evade capture, Allen Fitzgerald and Jack Luehrs. See the story of the evasion of Fitzgerald and Luehrs at www.evasioncomete.org >>> Fiches.
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Miles Cooley was Left Waist Gunner in the 305th Bomb Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. On board B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones' on the 4 April 1943 mission to the Renault works in Paris-Billancourt. Wounded in the plane by a Flak fragment. #42-5232 was...
Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Robert Fabec attended the Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado and graduated in 1939. He enlisted in the Air Corps in January 1942 and trained as a Bombardier. It was in that position that he flew on B-17 #42-5232 “Available Jones” of...
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Allen Michael Fitzgerald (also mentioned as Michael Allen Fitzgerald) was a Right Waist gunner in the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. Shot down 4 April 1943 in B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones'. EVADED. Jumping right before Radio Operator...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
John Hollenbeck was Tail Gunner on B-17 # 42-5232 “Available Jones” of the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron on 4 April 1943 when it was shot down over France. Landing near Rouen, France, he was captured and became a Prisoner of War (POW)....
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 4 April 1943 in B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones'. Prisoner of War (POW) at Stalag 7B at Krems Austria and work camps.
POW
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Morris M. Jones was Pilot of B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones' of the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. Shot down 4 April 1943 in France.
...
Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Edward Logan was Co-Pilot of B-17 #42-5232 "Available Jones" of 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron, shot down on 4 April 1943. He landed in parachute near Vaudreuil, Eure Department, and was hidden at Villers-sur-le-Roule at the home of Georges...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Jack Luehrs was a Radio Operator in the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. Shot down 4 April 1943 in B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones'. Orginally believed to have been Killed in Action (KIA), as he was the last to jump from the plane and nothing...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Edward Mescher was a Ball Turret gunner in the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. Shot down 4 April 1943 in B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Homer Mohr was Navigator of B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones' of the 305th Bomber Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. Shot down 4 April 1943 in France. Landing near Rouen, France, he was captured and became a Prisoner of War (POW). Interned at Stalag Luft 3...
4 April 1943
The Renault armament and motor works at Paris, France are the primary target of this mission. 97 B-17s are despached: 91BG (26); 303BG (23); 305BG (18); and 306BG (30). 85 of the 97 despatched are effective on the target. Fighter resistance is heavy...
Military site : airfield
Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first...
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Le Vaudreuil, France | 4 April 1943 |
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Shot down by enemy aircraft. Crashed in the Eure Department, France. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 01 March 2020 03:52:07 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 January 2016 15:17:02 | ED-BB | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events, person associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
MACR 15592 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:54 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15592 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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