B-17G-80-BO 43-38245
Delivered Cheyenne 12/7/44; Hunter 20/7/44; Presque Is 31/7/44; Assigned 711BS/447BG [IR- ] Rattlesden 2/8/44
Flight listings for 43-38245
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 |
#131 (24-Aug-44) | Brux, Czechoslovakia | Leach, D. W. | |
#135 (30-Aug-44) | Bremen, Germany | Leach, D. W. | |
#137 (03-Sep-44) | Brest, France | Leach, D. W. | |
#138 (05-Sep-44) | Brest, France | Leach, D. W. | |
#139 (08-Sep-44) | Mainz, Germany | Leach, D. W. | |
#140 (09-Sep-44) | Besancon, France | Barton, H. B. | |
#141 (10-Sep-44) | Giebelstadt, Germany | Barton, H. B. | |
#142 (11-Sep-44) | Fulda, Germany | Pattee, D. G. | Leaflets |
#144 (13-Sep-44) | Stuttgart, Germany | Helms, E. T. | |
#145 (17-Sep-44) | Arnheim, Holland | Phillips, L. | |
#147 (22-Sep-44) | Kassel, Germany | Helms, E. T. | |
#148 (25-Sep-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | Ungar, M. L. | slated #882 |
#149 (26-Sep-44) | Bremen, Germany | Helms, E. T. | |
#150 (27-Sep-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | Helms, E. T. | |
#151 (28-Sep-44) | Merseburg, Germany | Helms, E. T. | |
#152 (02-Oct-44) | Kassel, Germany | Leach, C. T. | CRASHED; KIA |
During assembly for Kassel 2/10/44) 43-38245 with Clifford Leach crew aboard, had a mid-air collision with 44-6460 with the William M. Wilder crew aboard; crashed Hitcham, UK; 17 men killed. Salvaged.
Clifford T. Leach crew aboard 43-38245
Capt Cliff Leach | Pilot | KIA |
Dave Bowen | Co-Pilot | KIA |
Don Rubin | Navigator | KIA |
Bill Rogers | Bombardier | KIA |
Earl Riggs | Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
Clyde Klee | Radio Operator | KIA |
Bill Haines | Ball Turret Gunner | KIA |
John Henry | Waist Gunner | KIA |
Carl Reitzel Jr. | Tail Gunner | KIA |
William M. Wilder crew aboard 44-6460
Lt. W. Wilder | Pilot | KIA |
Lt. N. Manock | Co-Pilot | KIA |
Lt. E. Mishler | Navigator | |
Lt. C. McGuire | Bombardier | KIA |
T/Sgt W. Easkins | Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
T/Sgt C. Genova | Radio Operator | KIA |
S/Sgt E. Suarez | Ball Turret Gunner | KIA |
S/Sgt T. Wiltse | Waist Gunner | KIA |
S/Sgt H. Lee | Tail Gunner | KIA |
Clyde R. Klee; Radio Operator aboard 43-38245 in the collision, KIA
Maddingley Cemetery, United Kingdom, Clyde R Klee, 447th BG, (B-17 Radio-Operator/Waist Gunner was killed in a mid-air collision between two aircraft while departing Rattlesden Airfield on a combat mission over Germany. He was twenty-two years old and had flown over 20 combat missions.
Some photos/information provided by:
- Hal Kiena
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database