Aircraft B-17 41-24491 was shot down 9 November 1942 on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Serving as a Navigator on board, 2Lt Forrest Hartin baled out of the stricken aircraft and landed about 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Six crew members were killed and three were made prisoner. Forrest Hartin was the sole member who managed to evade. He was helped in his evasion of capture by French citizens and French members of the Belgian escape network Comète. After landing in parachute in the area NW of Saint-Nazaire, he was guided and sheltered in many locations in France, among which : Fédrun, Six-Croix, Blain, Nantes, Paris, Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Urrugne. Guided across the Pyrénées mountains during the night of 20 December 1942, he was led to San Sebastian, Bilbao, Madrid, Sevilla, ultimately reaching Gibraltar on 18 January 1943, from where he was flown back to England on 26 January 1943. See the full story of his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.org/fhartinfd.html
Service
People
-
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Tail Gunner Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Pilot. Plane crashed 5 miles north of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
...
-
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier, Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original member of group. He flew on Loyal Felts crew. Completed 4 missions, 1942: 9 October, 7 November, 8 November, 9 November. Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 near St. Nazaire, France while serving as Bombardier. Plane crashed 5...
-
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to the group on 19 Jun 1942. He flew on Loyal M. Felts crew. He was armorer under Lt. Knight in England, then volunteered for gunner slot that became vacant. Completed 4 missions.
...
-
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Aircraft #41-24491 was shot down on a mission to St. Nazaire, France, 9-Nov-42 with 2Lt Jones serving as Co-Pilot. 2Lt Jones managed to bale out of the stricken aircraft and was captured. (POW)
-
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24491 while serving as Ball Turret Gunner Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Radio Operator. Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
-
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Waist Gunner. Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
Show more
Units served with
-
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
-
Aircraft
-
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 423BS/306BG Westover 15 August 194. Based at Thurleigh 13 October 1942. Missing in Action on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France 9 November 1942. 6 KIA, 3 POW, 1 EVD - MACR 6012.
...
Missions
-
9 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the target of this mission conducted by a combined force of 33 B-17s from 91BG and 306BG together with a combined force of 14 B-24s from 44BG and 93BG. The B-24 formation bombs from altitudes between 17,500 ft...
Associated Place
-
Military site : airfield
Built for RAF use in 1941-42, Thurleigh was initially used by RAF Bomber Command before being handed over to the Eighth Air Force. Its runways and hardstandings were improved, and the B-17s of the 306th Bomb Group began using the base. It was their...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Massachusetts, United States |
22 December 1914 |
Enlisted |
Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts, United States |
3 November 1941 |
as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corps
|
Evaded Capture |
Various places in France |
9 November 1942 – 18 January 1943 |
Evaded capture and returned to England on 26 January 1943.
|
Buried |
East Cemetery, Manchester, Connecticut, United States |
1976 |
Died |
Manchester, Connecticut, United States |
24 March 1976 |