Hi,
lookin for information where this ship crashed on 28. May 1944.
and crew's fate.
# 42-31389, MACR 5382.
 
Thank you in advance.
Günter

Freeman show that 2-31389 LUCIOUS LUCY  crashed near Barieben, G. during a mission to Kiel.
 
Regards,
Hugh

"Swords Forever"

Hi Gunter
 
Crew of B-17G 42-31389 - 15 - BO 'Lucious Lucy'.
 
Lt. Lucius G. Lacy. Pilot - POW.
Lt. Claude E. Schindler. Co-Pilot - KIA.
2nd Lt. Raymond E. Rossman. Navigator - POW.
Lt. Herbert Greenberg. Bombardier - POW.
T/Sgt. Sidney A. Carey. Top Turret Gunner - POW.
T/Sgt. Clarence H. Wood. Radio Operator - POW.
S/Sgt. Chester L. Powell. Ball Turret Gunner - KIA.
S/Sgt. Raymond J. Mitchell. Left Waist Gunner - POW.
S/Sgt. Joe S. Folsom. Right Waist Gunner - KIA.
S/Sgt. Michael Rotz. Tail Gunner - KIA.
 
Hope this is a help.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

Hi Gunter
 
Tail Gunner S/Sgt. Michael Rotz was a POW, not KIA. Sorry.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

Günter, I think it must be BARLEBEN near MAGDEBURG (Sachsen-Anhalt). Do you have more informations about the losses from this date? I´m looking for a B-17 crashed MAHNDORF near BREMEN on 28/5/1944
 
Jens-Michael

Look at www.fliegerschicksale.de. Flyers fate and aircraft crashes in the Bremen area during WW II.

JMB - I have list for 5/28 Do you have some names of towns near Mahndorf -
what is closest big town? Any other info?
Mike

Mike, the next town is BREMEN, today MAHNDORF is a part of BREMEN, southeast of the city. It is possible that one or more POWs were engaged in an act of war crime. Three Germans were accused and two of them were declared guilty by an US-tribunal.
 
Crimes on Trial
'Dachau Trials'
Trials by U.S. Army Courts in Europe 1945 - 1948
File Number: US031
Review Date: 471020
Case Number: 12-57 (US vs. Otto Rueger et al)
Crime Category: War Crimes
Accused:
Rueger, Otto - 3 Years
Schroeder, Wilhelm - 2½ Years
Tidow, August - Acquittal
Court: Intermediate Military Government Court at Dachau, Germany 470604-470605
Country where the crime had been committed: Germany
Crime Location: Bremen, Osterholtz, Verden
Crime Date: 440528
Victim: POW’s
Nationality: American
Office: Wehrmacht; NSDAP; unknown
Subject of the proceeding: The accused participated in the assault of several American airmen after they parachuted from their disabled plane.
 
Here the informations from the Luftgaukommando IX:
 
A/C was shoot down by Flak and crashed at 16:05 h german time.
 
I hope thats help a little bit.
 
Jens-Michael

Look at www.fliegerschicksale.de. Flyers fate and aircraft crashes in the Bremen area during WW II.

Hi Jens-michael
 
I don't know if this will help or not? I couldn't find a crash in Bremen, but have found one in Osterholz. This town or city is listed in your last message.
 
The aircraft which crashed here on May 28th 1944 was B-17G -40- BO 42-97067 from the 457th BG. Of the crew of ten onboard one was KIA and the remaining nine became POWs. The loss is said to be due to 'Enemy Aircraft'. The name of this aircraft was 'Georgia Peach' and was originally assigned to the 94th BG. The Missing Air Crew Report is MACR 5297.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

This loss (and all others on May 28, 1944) is covered extensively in my book 'Mission 376, battle over the Reich: 28 May 1944'. It includes photos of the aircraft, crew, some individual crewmembers and a photo of one of the flakbatteries near Bremen, credited with the final 'kill' of the a/c/.
The book is still easily available, among others through Amazon.
I have also covered the rough treatment of the crew after their bail out, as indicated above!
Best regards,
Ivo de Jong

Chris,
 
that is maybe the a/c I´m looking for. Thank you for your help.
 
Jens-Michael

Look at www.fliegerschicksale.de. Flyers fate and aircraft crashes in the Bremen area during WW II.

Hi Ivo
 
Thanks for your message. From your information does B-17G -40- BO 42-97067 from the 457th BG flown by Lt. Rudolph M. Stohl seem to be the correct aircraft crashing in this area? I came to this conclusion by checking all of the losses for May 28th 1944. This seemed to be the correct B-17.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

Hi Jens-Michael
 
Glad to be of help. I have also asked Ivo if this matches his information. He has done a book on the losses of May 28th 1944.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

Yes, it absolutely was 42-97067 of the 457th BG which crashed near Bremen on May 28. It was the most northern crash of all 32 heavy bombers that went down that day, and really 'out of course' when on the way back to England.
Best regards,
Ivo de Jong

Hi Ivo
 
Thanks very much for the confirmation.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

Chris and Ivo,
there is a problem: in the BREMEN area are two OSTERHOLZ. One was during the war a village 9 kilometers east of the city and is today a quarter of BREMEN. The other one is 17 kilometers north of BREMEN, is called today OSTERHOLZ-SCHARMBECK. Which one is it ?
 
Jens-Michael

Look at www.fliegerschicksale.de. Flyers fate and aircraft crashes in the Bremen area during WW II.

Hi Jens-Michael
 
I see that you live in Bremen. Is there any archives that would have any information on any crashes in the area that were compiled at the time in that area?
 
If not the only other things that i can say is have you contacted the 457th BG Association or got the Missing Air Crew Report, MACR 5297. They should hopefully give you more details of where exactly the aircraft went down.
 
You might also contact Ivo de Jong who has published a book on this mission and the losses.
 
Regards
 
Chris.

I am absolutely convinced that it is the present suburb of Bremen that 'Black Puff Polly' crashed in, and not the village 17 km North of Bremen.
Best regards,
Ivo

According to Crew Statements in BooK " Black Puff Polly " , the Crew Bailed and landed on the
outskirts of Bremen and were taken a short distance to LW Airfield in Bremen - wounded taken
a short distance to St. Joseph Stifts Hospital - Bremen.
B - 17 # 42 - 97067
Pilot - 2Lt. Rudolph Stahl
9 POW 1 KIA  MACR # 5297
Also - Name " Black Puff Polly " was Painted on Nose Of A/C just prior to the Mission.
Mike

Hi Ivo
 
Thanks for that. I would think that this is the most logical one as well.
 
Regards
 
Chris.