Date & Time:
May 1, 1943 at 1124 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5780
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Molesworth - Molesworth
MSN:
17-6076
YOM:
1943
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Molesworth on an operation to the submarine base in Saint-Nazaire. It was hit by the German Flak and later shot down by a German fighter. It probably exploded in midair and crashed in Les Morandières. Six crew members were killed, three others became PoW and the pilot evaded.
crew:
1st Lt Jay Roberts Sterling, pilot, †
2nd Lt John Laurence Neill, copilot,
T/Sgt Powell Everett Griffin, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Harry E. Roach Jr., navigator,
T/Sgt Harley W. Fields, radio operator, †
2nd Lt David Henry Parker, bombardier,
S/Sgt Arthur R. McCormack, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Jesse C. Cody Cleavelin, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Daniel J. Cashman, air gunner,†
Sgt William R. Whalon, air gunner. †
crew:
1st Lt Jay Roberts Sterling, pilot, †
2nd Lt John Laurence Neill, copilot,
T/Sgt Powell Everett Griffin, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Harry E. Roach Jr., navigator,
T/Sgt Harley W. Fields, radio operator, †
2nd Lt David Henry Parker, bombardier,
S/Sgt Arthur R. McCormack, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Jesse C. Cody Cleavelin, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Daniel J. Cashman, air gunner,†
Sgt William R. Whalon, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
