Date & Time:
Jun 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-30038
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorpe Abbotts - Thorpe Abbotts
MSN:
5152
YOM:
1943
Country:
Germany
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 Thorpe Abbotts on an operation to Bremen. While cruising along the German coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km north of Wangerooge Island. Six crew members were killed and four others were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Paul J. Schmalenbach, pilot, †
F/O George W. Cox, copilot, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Beck, flight engineer, †
1st Lt John F. Brown, navigator,
2nd Lt Jack L. Clark, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Frank J. Podbielski, radio operator,
Sgt Anthony J. Russo, waist gunner, †
S/Sgt Norman C. Goodwin, ball turret gunner,
S/Sgt William C. Lucas, waist gunner,
S/Sgt Lewis W. Priegel, tail gunner. †
Crew:
1st Lt Paul J. Schmalenbach, pilot, †
F/O George W. Cox, copilot, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Beck, flight engineer, †
1st Lt John F. Brown, navigator,
2nd Lt Jack L. Clark, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Frank J. Podbielski, radio operator,
Sgt Anthony J. Russo, waist gunner, †
S/Sgt Norman C. Goodwin, ball turret gunner,
S/Sgt William C. Lucas, waist gunner,
S/Sgt Lewis W. Priegel, tail gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
