Date & Time:
Mar 18, 1943 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24558
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Molesworth - Molesworth
MSN:
3243
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 Molesworth on an operation to Bremen. Over Wilhelmshaven, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea (Jade Bight) off the city. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Charles N. Austin, pilot,
1st Lt Norbert B. Feldman, copilot, †
1st Lt Richard G. White, navigator,
S/Sgt Samuel O. Snipes, flight engineer,
Sgt Bernard A. Gergash, radio operator,
1st Lt Robert A. Coltrane, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Alex Le Blanc, air gunner, †
Sgt Eugene W. Eckard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Delbert Mikkelsen, air gunner, †
Sgt Fred O. Deal, air gunner. †
Crew:
1st Lt Charles N. Austin, pilot,
1st Lt Norbert B. Feldman, copilot, †
1st Lt Richard G. White, navigator,
S/Sgt Samuel O. Snipes, flight engineer,
Sgt Bernard A. Gergash, radio operator,
1st Lt Robert A. Coltrane, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Alex Le Blanc, air gunner, †
Sgt Eugene W. Eckard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Delbert Mikkelsen, air gunner, †
Sgt Fred O. Deal, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
