Lowell Hoyt Watts
Military388th BG - 562nd BS
Standing Left to Right: Lowell Watts (P), Robert M. Kennedy (CP), Emmett Murphy (N), Edward J. Kelley (B)
Kneeling Left to Right: Joseph B. Ramsey (FE), Raymond Hess (WG), Ivan Finkle (R/O), Robert Sweeney (BTG), Harold A. Brassfield (TG), Donald W. Taylor (WG)
466th BG Historian
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzin' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen, Holland. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-744491
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-750206
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18030435
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13137212
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16150159
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: waist gunner, Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 24 February 1944
- Date: 21 February 1944
- Date: 20 February 1944
- Date: 13 February 1944
- Date: 5 February 1944
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA | 4 February 1920 | |
Other Shot Down |
Klazienaveen, Netherlands | 6 March 1944 | Shot down by attacks from multiple FW 190's that wounded the tail gunner, several damaged the tail and set the oxygen bottles and fuel tanks on fire. The aircraft exploded with Watts still at the controls in a caldron of fire in the cockpit, blowing him clear. He was fortunately wearing his parachute and was able to pull the rip cord. |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 15 March 1944 | Stalag Luft III |
Died |
Sun City West, AZ | 7 January 2021 | |
Sun City West, AZ, USA |
Revisions
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-WAT04…
Phone interview with Lowell Watts - November 2017
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3089 / MACR 3089, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database