Daniel,
This airplane was B-17E #41-9084 piloted by Captain Thomas F. Mansfield. On June 4, 1942 he was stationed at the secret air base at Cold Bay(Fort Randal). He was one of six crews of the 36th BS that were scheduled for a search and destroy mission looking for the attacking fleet. He was left behind due to engine trouble. After repairs, he recieved word on the location of the fleet. He took off alone, but was joined in flight by Captain Jack S. Marks in an old B-17B #38-216. They were flying under the ceiling at 250 feet on a course of 190 degrees when they spotted the fleet and commenced to attack. Mansfeild went in low and was shot down by AA fire from the vessel Takao. There was supposedly one survivor that was taken POW, but no known name or confirmation. The site was about 150 miles south of Umnak Island. The crew was as follows:
Captain Thomas F. Mansfield - Pilot
1st Lt. Lyle A Slocum
2nd Lt. Irving Berman - Co-pilot
2nd Lt. Francis C. Cornwell
SGT. Orval V. Paul
Corp. Edgar L. Rodgers, Jr.
Pvt. Edwin T. Bottelson
Pvt. Wilfred M. Hellenbran
Pvt. John W. LaBar, Jr.
They are all listed as MIA at the American Battlefield Memorial Commission. There is a MACR (16285) that was prepared much later. Other than the date of the loss and crew names, it has scant information. It also incorrectly identifies the airplane as a B-26.
Ed
<message edited by PAISANO on 12/24/2008 10:59:23 AM >