Date & Time:
Apr 5, 1943 at 1544 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5072
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
MSN:
3611
YOM:
1942
Country:
Netherlands
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 Thurleigh on an operation to the Erla GmbH aircraft factory at Mortsel, Antwerp, Belgium. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Dinteloord. Seven crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt William H. Parker, pilot, †
1st Lt C. J. Thelen, copilot,
T/Sgt John M. Creatore, flight engineer, †
1st Lt Paul A. Spaduzzi, navigator, †
T/Sgt James E. Gross, radio operator, †
1st Lt A. L. Milbourn, bombardier,
S/Sgt Sydney E. Davis, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Haeft, air gunner, †
S/Sgt James S. Clark, air gunner, †
T/Sgt L. J. H. O'Brien, air gunner.
Crew:
Cpt William H. Parker, pilot, †
1st Lt C. J. Thelen, copilot,
T/Sgt John M. Creatore, flight engineer, †
1st Lt Paul A. Spaduzzi, navigator, †
T/Sgt James E. Gross, radio operator, †
1st Lt A. L. Milbourn, bombardier,
S/Sgt Sydney E. Davis, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Haeft, air gunner, †
S/Sgt James S. Clark, air gunner, †
T/Sgt L. J. H. O'Brien, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
