42-29767 Boot Hill
Delivered Cheyenne 15 February 1943; Walker 27 February 1943; Salina 10 March 1943; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX- ] Grafton Underwood 17 April 1943; Andrews Field 13 May 1943.
Snetterton Heath. Missing in Action on a bombing mission to the prisoner transit point at the Lorient train station, France on 17 May 1943.
Pilot Louis L. Haltom, Co-Pilot George E. Forslund, Navigator Bailey J. Lovin Jr, Bombardier George D. Rawlings, Radio Operator Glen Wells, Top Turret Gunner Herman L. Marshall, Ball Turret gunner Roy A. Martin, Right Waist gunner Niles D. Loudenslager, Left Waist gunner William C. Martin, Tail Gunner Andrew L. Jorinscay, Observer William G. Carnahan. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 15546. 2 men were Killed In Action : George Forslund and Andrew Jorinscay. Three were made Prisoners of War (POW) : Lt Jackson, Lt Rawlings and Captain Carnahan. The five others, Louis Haltom, Glen Wells, Niles Loudenslager, Roy Martin, William Martin and Herman Marshall managed to evade capture with the help of French patriots and Résistance organizations.
The plane's ball turret went out of commission on the way over due to its oxygen valve freezing open after refilling the oxygen bottle. While the bombing results were good, the plane was hit during its bombing run by Flak at 12:05. No 3 engine was hit, then No 2, with smoke and oil pouring onto the fuselage. The horizontal stabilizer was hit and the Fortress fell out of formation. Joining the 95th Bomb Group that was flying behind them, they flew back over Brest, slowing to 150mph in order to stay in close formation. Suddenly, Fw-190 fighters attacked and numerous holes were poked into the fuselage. A shell hit Tail Gunner S/Sgt Andrew Jorinscay, killing him. Losing altitude, dropping out of formation, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out at 12:30, about 6 km NW of Spézet, France. The Fortress exploded and broke in two. Crashed near Keramprès, NW of Plonévez-du-Faou, 6km NW of Spézet, Finistère Department, France. (1st group loss to enemy aircraft).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-000093
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-412111
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33284173
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Station 138
Missions
- Date: 17 May 1943
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Failed to Return (FTR) |
Keramprès, France | 17 May 1943 |
Revisions
Snetterton Falcons II: The 96th Bomb Group in World War II by Robert E Doherty & Geoffrey D Ward. Second Edition with Errata and Supplemental Information. Taylor Publishing. 1996. pages 21, 24, 293
MACR 15546
Escape & Evasion reports of Pilot Haltom, Radio Operator Wells and gunners Loudenslager, Andrew Martin, William Martin and Marshall.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15546 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database