On 28 March 1944, our crew's 22nd mission was to bomb an airfield at Reims, France. That day we flew on the B-17G #42-37754 'Who Dat - Ding Bat' Just after baombs away, we received a direct hit from anti-aircraft shell. It exploded inside our plane between the two waist gunners. They were killed along with the TG. I (the RO) was wounded. Approximately 10 to 15 feet of both sides of the B-17 were blown away, but the plane held together. After going down in a spin, our pilot, Dan Henry, was able to level out. He brought us back to our base in England, but we were not allowed to land, for fear the plane might break in half. The survivors bailed out over our field. The pilot then flew to the English Coast, where he and the CP bailed out. The crippled plane then went into the English Channel. Dan Henry received the Silver Star.



DFC/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ PH/ EAME w/ 2 Stars/ 2 DUC