42-102394 Down N Go
Thanks to Andy Swinny.
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/44; Kearney 15/3/44; Dow Fd 4/4/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-C] Deenethorpe 16/4/44; Missing in Action Merseburg 24/8/44 with Parker Finney, Co-pilot: Virgil Price, Navigator: Dale Scott, tog-Brown Bralley, Waist gunner: Burton Miller,Tail gunner: Bill Duling (6 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Woodrow Snyder, Radio Operator: Ed Smith, Ball turret gunner: Golden Hill (3 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft damaged ship before exploding, crashed Brockhofe, NE of Fassberg Afd, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 8202. DOWN 'N GO.
From pilot's (Parker Finney) records: "On August 24, 1944, I was about ten minutes from the I.P. when we were jumped by 32 Fock-Wulfe fighters. They attacked from the rear in groups of three and damaged us heavily in mid-ship. My tail gunner, Sgt Duling, did advise me later on the ground that he had destroyed at least one of the Fock-Wulfes that blew up as it was approaching his tail. This was later confirmed for me by a fellow member of the 614th Bomb Squadron who was shot down months later and advised me that he had watched me go down and had seen the destruction of the one aircraft."
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Bombardier, Enlisted, waist gunner; Nose Gunner, Togglier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-817187
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32170030
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Benefield
- Site type: Other
- Known as: Merseberg (common wrong spelling), Leuna
Missions
- Date: 24 August 1944
- Date: 16 August 1944
- Date: 13 August 1944
- Date: 11 August 1944
- Date: 5 August 1944
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Crashed Failed to Return (FTR) |
Brockhöfe, 29565 Wriedel, Germany | 24 August 1944 - 24 August 1944 | Shot down by Fock-Wulfes. Listed as MIA over Merseburg. |
Revisions
From my dad's records about the aircraft. I do not have a picture. I am guessing that the uploaded drawing might have possibly been the same as the nose art on the aircraft.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 8202 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database