42-30772

Delivered Cheyenne 27/7/43; Dyersburg 8/8/43; Assigned 524BS/379BG [WA-R] Kimbolton 31/8/43; transferred 323BS/91BG [OR-V] Bassingbourn 23/9/43; Missing in Action Anklam 9/10/43 with Tom Walsh, Co-pilot: Chas Hull, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Albt Jaskiewicz, Radio Operator: George Frank, Ball turret gunner: Harry Goldberger, Waist gunner: T. Frazier, Waist gunner: Bob Robinson, Tail gunner: Dave Baker - body washed up 4/2/44 (8 Killed in Action), Navigator: Harry Cliffe, Bombardier: Jim Fullerton (2 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed Baltic Sea N of Keil, 20 miles from Danish coast. Missing Air Crew Report 895.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.

381st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.

91st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

David L Baker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Harry T Cliffe

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

George J Frank

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner

T D Frazier

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

James A Fullerton

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 9 October 1943 On 9 October, 1943 USAAF attacked aircraft factories in the eastern part of Poland and East Prussia together with harbour facilities in Gdynia and Danzig with 378 4-engined bombers. Both on the way out and the way home the formations passed Denmark, where German fighters attacked the bombers. During a bombing raid to Anklam in Germany on 9 October, 1943 a ”Flying Fortress” B17 42-30772 crashed in the Baltic Sea. One of the gunners, D.L. Baker, was found by a Danish fisherman drifting between Ærø and Als. The burial in Søby took place 3 days later on 7 February, 1944 without ecclesiastical assistance or any kind of ceremonies. When vicar H.S. Bårris demanded to carry out the burial or at least to be present at it, a German lieutenant Rottgard from the Oldemark barraks threatened to shoot him down. On the following Sunday the vicar held a memorial service. Residents of the area had then covered the grave with a sea of flowers. (Source: FAF) "Only two of crew succeeded in bailing out due to the suddenness of plane breaking up. Both survivors picked up by German rescue vessel." (MACR)

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

FTR record updated from source :http://www.airmen.dk/p232.htm

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Associated mission from source : http://www.airmen.dk/p232.htm

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1398 / MACR 895 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database