Date & Time:
May 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5063
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chelvestson - Chelveston
MSN:
3602
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 Chelveston on an operation to Lorient. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Erdeven, 20 km southeast of Lorient. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph H. Roney Jr., pilot, †
2nd Lt Jack C. Boltz, copilot, †
T/Sgt Ernest Kennedy Harker, flight engineer,
T/Sgt James David Donaldson, radio operator,
2nd Lt Paul Felder Austin, navigator,
S/Sgt Mark Loy Oberhansly, bombardier,
S/Sgt Gilbert John Gromschmidt, air gunner,
S/Sgt Orville L. Glenn, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Patrick J. Heaney, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Gilbert Simkiss, air gunner. †
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph H. Roney Jr., pilot, †
2nd Lt Jack C. Boltz, copilot, †
T/Sgt Ernest Kennedy Harker, flight engineer,
T/Sgt James David Donaldson, radio operator,
2nd Lt Paul Felder Austin, navigator,
S/Sgt Mark Loy Oberhansly, bombardier,
S/Sgt Gilbert John Gromschmidt, air gunner,
S/Sgt Orville L. Glenn, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Patrick J. Heaney, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Gilbert Simkiss, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
