Delivered Cheyenne, 3 September 1942. To New Castle, 4 October 1942. Assigned 94th Bomb Group, 22 October 1942. Transferred 342BS/97BG Depienne, November 1942. Piloted by 1st Lt John C. Nicholson on the 18 December 1942 mission to bomb the Bizerte, Tunisia docks, B-17 42-5715 was attacked by three enemy fighters minutes before their bombing run. After Flak hits over the target took out engines Nos 2 and 4, the Fortress couldn’t keep up with the rest of the Squadron and, falling behind, was attacked again by fighters. Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Clarence B. Nichols was killed instantly. A fire broke out in the cockpit and the plane rapidly lost altitude. The bail out signal was given, but the Fortress was too low for a safe evacuation. Only the Bombardier, Lt Paul A. Blaida, managed to jump at less than 800 feet, hit the ground hard and helped rescue some survivors when he reached the crash site near Bizerte where Lt Nichols had managed to crash-land the plane. Co-Pilot 1st Lt John B. Mayes, Navigator 1st Lt George E. Monda and Ball Turret Gunner Sgt William M. Ivanhoff were killed. Besides Lieutenants Nichols and Blaida, Radio Operator Sgt Thomas G. Burton, Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Eugene H. Evans, Lef Waist Gunner S/Sgt Grover C. Williams and Tail Gunner S/Sgt Frederick M. Wilson survived. The is no Missing Air Crew Report for this loss.

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