43-38725

B-17G-95-BO 43-38725

708th SQ

 

Flight listings for 43-38725

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
#156 (07-Oct-44) Merseburg, Germany Moore, L. W.  
#162 (18-Oct-44) Kassel, Germany Folts, R. W.  
#163 (19-Oct-44) Mannheim, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#164 (22-Oct-44) Munster, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#165 (25-Oct-44) Harburg, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#167 (30-Oct-44) Merseburg, Germany Hysong, J. W.  
#169 (02-Nov-44) Merseburg, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#173 (09-Nov-44) Saarbrucken, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#174 (11-Nov-44) Oberlahnstein, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#175 (16-Nov-44) Duren, Germany Pearsall, E. M. Landed at Welford Park
#176 (21-Nov-44) Koblenz, Germany Lovett, J. M.  
#178 (26-Nov-44) Hamm, Germany Wessling, J. V. slated #938
#179 (27-Nov-44) Bingen, Germany DeDiemar, T. G. ABORT Gas leak
#180 (30-Nov-44) Lutzkendorf, Germany Buthe, R. H. MISSING

 

 

Excerpt from MACR 11149:
Aircraft 43-38725 was hit by flak at instant of bombs away. A large hole was observed between #3 and #4 engine. Entire right wing burst into flames and aircraft peeled off to right and lost altitude rapidly. Aircraft was not out of control and some crews report 1-2 chutes, though the majority saw no chutes. Incident was at 27,800 feet at 1318 hours over the target. Heavy contrails prevented further observation of this aircraft or its crew.

 

The following information was shared by John Flynn, engineer. Interviews were conducted from October to December, 2002 by Amy Baker.

John remembers that his plane was hit right before bombs away. He was in the top turret and saw flak hit the tail and explode. He thinks it tore the tail off. John was knocked out of the top turret and landed below the pilot and co-pilot. The plane turned almost completely upside down and started to spin downward. He looked up and saw the pilot and co-pilot struggling to get out of their seats, but since the plane was in a spin, the force made it almost impossible to move. John was able to clip his chute on and throw himself out the open bomb bay doors. He looked up and saw the plane explode. After a while he looked up and noticed two chutes and knew only two of his crew probably survived.

On the ground, John was picked up by Germans and reunited with John Lafferty and Curtis Chapman. John Lafferty, the waist gunner, was able to jump out the waist window before the plane exploded. Curtis Chapman, bombardier, was still in the nose of the plane and was blown out in the explosion. He was knocked unconscious but came to in time to pull his ripcord and float to earth.

 

The Buthe Crew aboard when the plane was lost to flak during the mission on Nov. 30, 1944.

Lt. Raymond H. Buthe Pilot KIA 11/30/44
Lt. Charles O. Norris Co-Pilot KIA 11/30/44
Lt. Marvin L. Brawer Navigator KIA 11/30/44
Lt. Curtis G. Chapman Bombardier POW: Stalag Luft I 
Sgt. John M. Flynn Engineer POW: Stalag Luft IV
Sgt. Anthony R. Demarco Radio Operator KIA 11/30/44
Sgt. John W. Lafferty, Jr. Waist Gunner POW: Stalag Luft III
Sgt. Charles R. Agnatovich Ball Turret Gunner KIA 11/30/44 
Sgt. Ralph B. Corning Tail Gunner KIA 11/30/44

 

Charles R. Agnatovich; Ball Turret Gunner for the Raymond Buthe crew (but this most likely is not 43-38725 in the photo)

 

 


Some photos/information provided by:

  • Amy Baker

Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database