B-17# 43-38735 crash in Belgium

Hi Alain,
 
This B17 was shot down by flak.
Here are some details about the crew :
Kelly Walter S.2Lt. pilot 0-830867 +
Grave : > USA
Ellett Alexander M.Jr.2Lt. co-pilot 0-780554 +
Grave : > USA
Sierzant Walter S.Jr.F/O. navigator T134780 +
Grave : Epinal
Pasinski Roman S/Sgt. NT 11073710 +
Grave : Epinal
Balentine William L.Jr.Sgt. TT 34659042 +
Grave : Epinal
Robertson Ernest F.Sgt. RO 14154046 pow
Camp
Serfass Malcolm M.Sgt. BT 33056770 +
Grave : > USA
Britton Bennie A.Sgt. WG 38584502 +
Grave : > USA
Youngdahl Richard S.Sgt. TG 42075194 +
Grave : Normandy 
 
Best regards
 
Luc

My father was a bombadier on a B-17 during WWII and in his photographs he has one that says on the back "My pilot, Lt. Walter S. Kelly, Killed in Action, Dunkirk, 2/14/45."  He has photographs of the crew with the notation KIA 2/14/45, except on two, his photograph and the photograph of one other person, which both say "survived."  Names on the crew photographs are not given.  My father related the story to me that he had been transferred to another plane the day that his crew went down.  He has other photos of presumably the crashed plane; the number is not visible, but a Triangle B is on the tail.  My father told me that he completed 32 missions, but never did say that his plane was Flat Top.  He did mention that he flew on Grin N Bear It, which according to my research was part of the Green project.

I will scan the crew and crash scene photographs and send them soon. On one photograph of a common grave marker, I believe I can make out your uncle's name "Sierzant, Walter," the second from the bottom on the list.  The photograph is relatively clear, but the list of names is small and faded.  I also have a "yearbook" of the 92nd Bomb Group that includes many group photographs, all without names; I did not find your uncle's name on the roster in the back of the book.
One thing I am trying to determine is the chronology of my father's service.  As I mentioned in my first post, my father said that he completed 32 missions and that he had been transferred to another plane the day his crew went down.   He never mentioned Flat Top that I recall, but has individual photographs of the crew, including one of himself, and he is listed in the 92nd Bomb Group roster.  One photograph says on the back "1944- Flight from Goose Bay, Labrador to Iceland, R.R. Root, Navigator." He did mention that he flew on "Grin N Bear It," which, according to my research was part of the Green Project late in the war.  Another photograph shows my father with one other person in front of the "Margaret F." His discharge certificate dated August 7, 1945, indicates the 730th Bomb Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group.  All very confusing; any help will be appreciated.  My father was Bradford S. Rawlinson.
Stuart Rawlinson

According to MACR, this a/c is reported "crashed in Dunkirk area", France.
Nothing matches with Flenu, Belgium.
Phil

I scanned about 30 photos today and have attached three, apparently the maximum that can be uploaded on a given post. If you are interested in seeing more, I will do more posts with the other photos.

Thank you, SERAWLIN.  First and third photo is definitely not my uncle.  Middle one might be; looks most like him but not totally convinced yet.  Perhaps it's just the angle.  Would love to see more photos.  Especially the one with the common grave marker.  I will look through my Mom and Dad's stuff and see if I can find that one picture of him and post that myself.  If you can post all the photos in the Photo Gallery section as suggested above by RSwank that would be super!