B-17G-15-DL 42-37864
709th SQ
Wreckage of 42-37864 after crashing at Neerbeek, Holland, on the 20th May 1944.
Delivered Denver 25/10/43; Harvard 29/10/43; Assigned 709BS/447BG [IE-K] Rattlesden 21/11/43. Assigned Aircraft of the Flemming Crew until their tour was completed in early May 1944.
Flight listings for 42-37864
These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.
| 447th Mission (Date) | Target | Pilot | Notes |
| #5 (05-Jan-44) | Merignac, France | Skinner, E. H. | |
| #8 (14-Jan-44) | Grand Parc, France | Kautt, E. T. | |
| #9 (21-Jan-44) | Grand Parc, France | McKay, W. T. | |
| #10 (24-Jan-44) | Frankfurt, Germany | Goetz, W. B. | Not attack |
| #11 (29-Jan-44) | Frankfurt, Germany | McKay, W. T. | |
| #12 (30-Jan-44) | Brunswick, Germany | McKay, W. T. | |
| #13 (03-Feb-44) | Wilhelmshaven, Germany | McKay, W. T. | |
| #23 (25-Feb-44) | Regensburg, Germany | Lowry, F. A. | |
| #29 (08-Mar-44) | Berlin, Germany | Hudson, W. C. | ABORT Oxy fail |
| #32 (13-Mar-44) | Bois de la Justice, France | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #33 (15-Mar-44) | Brunswick, Germany | Beaty, E. E. | slated 910 (LL) |
| #35 (18-Mar-44) | Munich, Germany | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #40 (27-Mar-44) | Merignac, Chartes, France | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #41 (28-Mar-44) | Chartres, France | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #42 (01-Apr-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #43 (08-Apr-44) | Rheine, Germany | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #46 (11-Apr-44) | Arnimswalde, Poland | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #47 (13-Apr-44) | Augsburg, Germany | Flemming, D. S. | ABORT Eng out |
| #50 (20-Apr-44) | Cherbourg / Bois de la Justice, France | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #52 (24-Apr-44) | Friedrichshafen, Germany | Zanoya, P. C. | ABORT #4 Eng out |
| #60 (08-May-44) | Berlin, Germany | Kaye, H. C. | Replaced Abernathy, ABORT couldn’t find formation |
| #61 (09-May-44) | Laon / Athies, France | Greenwell, W. R. | ABORT Supercharger out |
| #64 (13-May-44) | Osnabruck, Germany | Flemming, D. S. | |
| #65 (19-May-44) | Berlin, Germany | Otto, H. S. | |
| #66 (20-May-44) | Liege, Belgium | Mitchell, C. R. | MISSING |
Missing in Action on the 20 May 1944 mission to Brussels.
| Charles R. Mitchell | Pilot | |
| Edward H. Frost | Co-pilot | |
| Andrew A. Marcin | Flight engineer/Top Turret gunner | |
| Eugene P. Szulczewski | Ball Turret gunner | |
| Robert E. Sasse | Left Waist gunner | |
| Richard J. Kindig | Right Waist gunner | |
| Raymond F. McCarthy | Tail gunner | |
| Joseph G. Keenan | Navigator | POW |
| Leo D. McLaughlin | Bombardier | POW |
| Paul D. Dickerson | Radio Operator | POW |
Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 4938
Actually hit by friendly fire from another 447BG B-17, crashed Neerbeek-Beek, about 15km NE of Maastricht
Some of the crew evaded with the help of Belgian citizens and members of the Resistance. See the full story of their evasion at this link
Controversy over the correct number of the plane in photo, identifiable as the Bomb’n Belle by the nose art, but some possibility of being 42-37864. See explanation on the page for 42-3487
Some photos/information provided by:
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database