On 28 Sept 1978 the New York Times ran a vague story of how 4 US Airmen were captured and killed in Austria 1945.
Neither airmen nor ID of plane was mentioned. Pursuing queries this is the true story {I sent a letter of correction to NYT_not published}:
13 February 1945
B-17#48163 of 772nd Bomb Sq/463rd Bomb Gp 15th A.F. was shot down over Austria. Of the 10 airmen-only 4 were captured and survived the war. Of the other 6: Two were found dead on the ground.  4 were captured and murdered.
One of the murdered airman Robert Stricker-contrary to the article: was not Jewish; and was not a son of a well know
Jewish leader died Shoah Dr Robert Stricker;
Likewise I found later that a online website article "Pilot Hunt" also gave a short summary of this incident at bottom: http://www.airpower.at/news01/1228_pilothunt/  {Not sure if this website can still be accessed}

Hi PFF

I have got a big problem, the "5th Bomb Wing History of Aircraft Assigned" listed like you a/c 44-8163 shot down at Austria 3233 Schützen, but the MACR 12109 (one Page) at www.Footnote.com (http://www.footnote.com/image/46710919/6163|44/) listed a/c 44-6163 as shot down.
with the Whitman crew like a/c 44-8163.
I have found at some sources the same information a/c 44-8163 -9 POW 1 killed (Smith, Lester W.) what is correct? a/c 44-6163 or 44-8163 ?
Can anyone help? Thank you.

all the best
Hartmut

See the following list: for 44-6163 for explantaion {Scrapped 1945 Arizona}:
http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-bin/gzUsafSearch.pl?target=44-6163&content=

According to Dick Drain's 5th Wing History of Aircraft Assigned :

44-6163 was NEVER in the 5th Wing B-17s in N.Africa and Italy.

44-8163 was assigned to the  772BS/463rdBG

Acccording to Roger Freeman and David Osborne' s The Flying Fortress Story :

44-6163 was assigned to the 534BS/381BG

This is about 44-8163..NOT 44-6163.

Watch those serial numbers..it is easy to transpose numbers.

Jim :-)

James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt
B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions
99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF
Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy
My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45
M/Sgt USAF (Retired)

Hello Jim and PFF

I know Dick Drains, Roger Freemans and  Joe Baugher's way of 44-8163, but the scanned original MACR at Footnote shows clear the serial 44-6163 and Joe Baugher wrote "it could be a mistake".
My Question, a mistake with 44-8163 or 44-6163.

Thanks again
Hartmut

Hartmut,

Additional confirmation can be found in David Osborne's book They Came From Over The Pond, a history of the 381st bomb Group.  It shows 44-6163 as being assigned to the 534th Sq, 381st BG in England on June 28th, '44 and returned to the US on 8 June '45.  So the error must be 44-6163. 
 

Bob Gilbert
Ball Turret Gunner, Goldin crew
381st Bomb Gp., 533rd Bomb Sq.
US 8th Air Force

Hello Bob

thank you, It should a typing error in the MACR 12109.
"They Came From Over The Pond" is on my wish to have list.

Have a nice day

Hartmut

Have a look at

http://www.geocities.com/t_schuurman/macr-12109.htm

Hartmut