Newbie needs help solving mystery

 For the last 20 years I have owned a large framed photo of a WWII flight crew posing in front of their plane. I found it in a thrift shop in Annapolis, Maryland and have proudly hung it on my wall from home to home and state to state. I have always wondered if those determined-looking young men made it home safely. Last night I carefully removed it from the frame and found that the names and jobs of some of the crew were still visible on the borders of the photo.  I've done some research without really knowing what I'm doing and discovered that at least 4 of these men were made pows at the same time. I can only assume their plane went down. But there was a crew of nine so I'm still a long way from finding all their fates. I really want to know more, but need some help. I have some info that I wonder if someone can give me the meaning? A sign in the picture says: "223 CCTS (H) DAAF, Crew no. 7938." Also, the plane seems to be named "Dolly" and there are some large numbers painted above the name, but I have no idea what their significance is: 7585. Does this mean anything to anyone? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 

Thanks for the replies! For starters, the pilot is Lt Don Ringsred. I've figured out this is 99% certainly 2nd Lt.Norwood Donald Ringsred (Q&778571-not sure why there is a letter and an & in his number, but got it from the National Archives). He was a POW. I sent a message to his daughter on facebook for confirmation on my identification and asked if she might have any information for me. I haven't heard back yet. The co-pilot is Lt. George Armer. I have a possible match, but can't find any more documents to verify or fill in the details (possibly 15119417). The next man is unknown. The photo border has been torn off. My 4th man is perhaps Ed Harry or scratch the Ed and make Harry the first name and the surname unknown. Number 5 is 1st gunner Hanssen. It is almost a certainty he is John P. Hanssen (36691755) because he shares the same date of becoming or being reported as a POW (3/12/45) as others in this crew. Sixth is engineer Donald Hoth (17153249). On his entry on the POW list I got the added info that he was in Sweden as a POW or when he was captured. The others just said European theater. Seventh is Donald De Vries, tail gunner (36888328). He also was a POW and died in 2002. Number 8 is Harry Peeler, radio operator. Number 9 is Francis-the rest is illegible. And that's all I know about my guys, but I'm so excited to finally become more acquainted with them.
 
As for the plane, I studied the photo closely to try to identify it, but I know nothing about planes. It is a heavy bomber and seems to have 2 props on each wing. It's kind of hard to see well, but the nose seems to be glass. And of course it takes a crew of 9. It seems to most match the B-29 superfortress, but that's a barely educated guess. 
 
My "real" computer is in the shop and this old one I use just to get by is not playing nice with my printer, so I can't scan the photo in right now. I'll work with it tomorrow and try to get it uploaded. It's larger than 81/2 x 11, so it may be in 2 pieces, but I will get it up asap. 
 
Thanks for your help and interest!
 
Dinah

from B-17 master log by Dave Osbourne :
 
44-8577            Del Cheyenne 27/10/44; Hunter 28/11/44; Dow Fd 12/12/44; Ass 325BS/92BG [NV-M] Podington 20/1/45; 407BS [PY-M]; b/d Swinemunde, Ger 12/3/45 w/Norwood Ringsred, Leo Bleifer, Harry Machie, Theo Fossberg, Don Hoth, John Johnson, Francis Johnson, John Hanssen, Don DeVries, Horace Bayless  (10INT); mech fault, f/l Bulltofta, Swed; MACR 13093. Rep & ret UK 27/6/45; RetUS Bradley 21/7/45; RFC Kingman 10/12/45.
 
Don't think it matches the B-17 in your picture though. but Norwood Ringsred, Hoth, Hanssen, De Vries are mentioned.
Must admit I am not sure but believe CCTS means Combat Crew Training Squadron?
 

As joost900 mentioned, men were aboard B-17G, 44-8577, 325th Bomb Squadron of 92nd Bomb Group, when on 12 Mar 45 it had the bombs fall through the bomb bay doors, which had failed to open.  Damage extent included failure of one engine. 
 
Lt. Ringsred was able to reach Malmo, Sweden and successfully complete an emergency (crash) landing. De Vries status is unclear from information in the MACR folder, but remainder of the crew were interned in Sweden until late June when they returned to the U.S.
 
Attached are scan of front and section 17 on rear of Missing Air Crew Report; MACR 13093,
 
(edited to replace duplicate front image with section 17 image)

Wow! I knew I needed the MACR but didn't know the plane's number, so was at a complete loss. I am almost stunned at how quickly you guys found the information I was looking for.  So, if they dropped the bombs without the bomb bay doors being open, did they realize they weren't open? Even with my limited knowledge I think they were up close and personal with the doors and would have known. Or were they supposed to open automatically as the bombs fell? Or, was this a case of completing the mission no matter what? Or did they need to get the weight out of the plane for some reason?
 
It also seems that some of my guys were not part of the crew that was taken prisoner. Would it have been usual for crew members to be transferred to another crew? I'm wondering if maybe something more likely happened to them already before the crash mission. (Crossing my fingers not) Any tips on finding info on them? (And thanks for giving me Francis' last name!)
 
You have no idea how excited I am by all of this. Thank you so much! I just can't can't tell you how happy I am to be learning the story I've wondered about for 20 years.
 
Dinah

Dinah,
I think the picture you have is of the crew when they were in (or completing) training.  Crews did not always stay together for all their missions once in combat.  Sometimes people were injured or sick or killed.   Sometimes people (particularly officers) may have gotten promoted and moved up.  Co-pilots become pilots and got their "own" crews, etc. 
 
Regarding the bomb bay doors,  they should have been opened by the bombardier once they started the bomb run.  He may have "pushed the button" or "turned the switch" but their was some sort of  failure and the doors failed to open.  Perhaps he forget to open the doors (although you would think there would have been some sort of "fail-safe" that would not have allowed him to drop the bombs without at least some sort of warning or override.)   Perhaps some of the bombardiers on the site will comment on this point.    I think I read somewhere that the doors were designed to "force open" in a case like this, but it sounds like these bombs crashed through the closed doors.
Looking at the names you first posted, I think we still have questions about:
Harry Peeler
George Armer
did I miss anyone?

Dinah, I will send you a PM regarding the MACR.

Diana,
 
The images posted in post #8 by Tony are just thumbnails.  Left click on the image to open it up.  You can then download the enlarged image by right clicking on it.  Still not going to be crystal clear but that's all you'd get even if you ordered the microfiche.
Attached are pages 2 and 3 from that report.  As Scott mentions the full report is 24 pages.
It might be helpful to the conversation if you could scan and post your photo.
Regarding your question in post #13, the Navigator and the Bombardier were frequently of the same rank.
Hal

According to Scott Hochstein, "Dyersburg was home to the 346th and later 223rd Combat Crew Training School. The School produced over 1,000 B-17 crews during its operational life."

Your best hope is probably Forgotten Fields of America, Volume III, by Lou Thole. I believe he can be contacted at Tarplane@aol.com.