Date & Time:
May 29, 1943 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-3042
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snetterton Heath - Snetterton Heath
MSN:
7978
YOM:
1942
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snetterton Heath on an operation to Rennes. Approaching the target area at an altitude of 6,000 feeet, it was shot down by a German fighter. It descended to the ground, collided with a power line and crashed in an open field located in Clayes, some 15 km northwest of Rennes. Seven crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew (337th Squadron):
1st Lt Jack L. McMath, pilot, †
F/O Ernie J. Dickenson, copilot, †
2nd Lt Edwin A. Martin, navigator,
1st Lt William Peterson, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Lear E. Godbey, radio operator, †
T/Sgt Gerald V. Olson, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Arthur Shilo, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond M. Masiero, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Harry J. Boegaholz, air gunner,
S/Sgt Virgil B. Gregory, air gunner. †
Crew (337th Squadron):
1st Lt Jack L. McMath, pilot, †
F/O Ernie J. Dickenson, copilot, †
2nd Lt Edwin A. Martin, navigator,
1st Lt William Peterson, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Lear E. Godbey, radio operator, †
T/Sgt Gerald V. Olson, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Arthur Shilo, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond M. Masiero, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Harry J. Boegaholz, air gunner,
S/Sgt Virgil B. Gregory, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
