Date & Time:
Apr 17, 1943 at 1345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24488
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
MSN:
3173
YOM:
1942
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh on an operation to the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory located in Bremen. Passing over Lower Saxony, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Greetsiel. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Bill Casey, pilot,
Ed O'Brien, copilot,
Sgt Wilson Elliott, flight engineer,
Sgt Bill Owens, navigator,
T/Sgt Lewis F. Ayscue, radio operator, †
Sgt Jim McCracken, bombardier,
S/Sgt Joseph R. Borzym, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Morris J. Gecowets, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Charles W. Raidline, air gunner, †
Sgt Frank R. Stetler, air gunner. †
Crew:
Cpt Bill Casey, pilot,
Ed O'Brien, copilot,
Sgt Wilson Elliott, flight engineer,
Sgt Bill Owens, navigator,
T/Sgt Lewis F. Ayscue, radio operator, †
Sgt Jim McCracken, bombardier,
S/Sgt Joseph R. Borzym, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Morris J. Gecowets, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Charles W. Raidline, air gunner, †
Sgt Frank R. Stetler, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
