Date & Time:
May 1, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24547
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn
MSN:
3232
YOM:
1942
Country:
France
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 Bassingbourn on an operation to the submarine base in Saint-Nazaire. While cruising along the French coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 3 km northwest of Porspoder. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert D. Rand, pilot, †
Maj Maurice Rosener, copilot,
T/Sgt Clarence V. King, flight engineer, †
T/Sgt David Butler Hatch, radio operator,
2nd Lt Donald Sternglanz, navigator, †
S/Sgt Walter Carl Wawrzynek, bombardier,
S/Sgt James Bruce Farrar, air gunner,
S/Sgt Alvar Bryce Platt, air gunner,
S/Sgt Thaddeus F. Kusowski, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Shumard, air gunner. †
Crew:
1st Lt Robert D. Rand, pilot, †
Maj Maurice Rosener, copilot,
T/Sgt Clarence V. King, flight engineer, †
T/Sgt David Butler Hatch, radio operator,
2nd Lt Donald Sternglanz, navigator, †
S/Sgt Walter Carl Wawrzynek, bombardier,
S/Sgt James Bruce Farrar, air gunner,
S/Sgt Alvar Bryce Platt, air gunner,
S/Sgt Thaddeus F. Kusowski, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Shumard, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
