My dad was a right waist gunner on this plane and I have been looking for info on it.He was shot down 24 May 1944 and spent 11 months in Stalag Luft IV.Dad's name is Bert Synan.
                                                                       Jim
 
 
 
 

Jim,
 
The Missing Air Crew Report is available on footnote.com.  It runs 16 pages and includes a two page hand written statement by your father.  I will post those two pages but because of the file size limitations of this site the quality of the image is somewhat degraded.  If you go to footnote the image is quite clear.  Search footnote using the aircraft serial number.
 
Hal


[image]local://12384/8E09F7EA066A4C459E6DDBBEA021597E.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Second page.

[image]local://12384/748F50B6D4944E23B393C09C8497E587.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Jim -
Excellent Book on the Evacuation of Luft IV and
the Forced POW Winter March , 1945:
The Last Escape by John Nichol
Mike

Lucky Partners
    Thank you for posting those two pages.I will go to that website and pull that report.Just finishing "Wrong Place-Wrong Time.My dad died in 73 and never found out much.All the relatives that might know something are also gone.
 
                                                                      Jim

Shooshoobaby
 
  Thanks for the info on the book,just finishing "Wrong Place - Wrong Time and will look for the one you found.I remember my dad had a three volume set of blue hardback books with all the pictures of battle fields and wounder if anyone remembers these.Most pictures were army battles in towns.Lost these when I left home and house was cleaned out to sell. These were large books 10 X 12 and I do not remember if they had navy and air force pictures also.
 
                                                                                            Jim

lucky Partners
 
    Is footnotes a site you have to join to be able to get documents.
 
 
                                                                    Jim

Jim,
 
Yes, Footnote.com does charge a fee for access however they offer a 7 day free trial membership.  That should be more than enough time for you to download this report.  See the opening page of the site for the 'Free Trial' link.  You can also obtain this report free from government sources.  Go to the tab at the top of this page marked 'research help' then scroll down to Missing Air Crew Reports for instructions.  Can take several months to obtain reports this way.
 
Hal

Hello Jim.
This aircraft your asking about was originally taken on as new, by the Jay Viehman crew. t was later named THE MONITOR.
 
Aircraft suffered what could have been its last mission, when it forced landed due to engine failure on return from an earlier mission, in te hands of the Warren Jenks crew. They were 8 miles from home base Chelveston, when it was obvious hey couldnt make t home. Jenks ordered the crew into crash positions, and miraculously mae a wheels down landing across a meadow, coming to a stop near to Wollaston Mill. The place he landed was 'Hard Water Crossing'. Over the few days, after checking out the plane and finding little structural damage had been caused, the faulty engines were replaced, and the ship made ready for a tak off. Several hawthorn hedgerows were bulldozed away, creating enough space for a 'short' take off, assisted by the newly developed rocket packs. (I remember a similar post on here a while back, explaining another incident involving another B-17 from another group, in similar circumstanes).
 
There is a photo of this aircraft from its very first few days, minus any nose art, with the Viehman crew beneath, in Bill Donalds book JB105.
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Ian

    Thanks for all the info on my dads plane.I looked up JB105 and it looks like it costs $70.I found it at Penn State University which is about 2.5 hr north of me.I am going to go up and look through the book to see if there is enough things related to my dad to make me want to spend that money for it.

                                                                                        Jim

Son of Bert Synan Rt waist gunner B17 42-39949," The Monitor " shot down 24May1944.POW in Stalag Luft IV

Hi Jim. I would say the book JB105 is worth every penny, but would suggest you purchase a copy elsewhere,through the widow of the author Billy Donald.
As a group and airfield history specifically concerning the 305th BG and the Chelveston airfield, its invaluable. I am biased, I dont deny that. But compare like fore like, on other unit histories and check out the content other comparative unit history books give, and for the money its selling for its unbeatable. 308 pages, crammed with first account memories collected over 30 years. Over 400 photographs, majority of which never published anywhere. Is head and shoulders above many and most of its peers as a historical record of a heavy bomb group.
Anyone serious on the 305th Bomb Group would be missing a huge chunk of its heritage without one.....
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009