Memorial

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The B-17 was attacked by enemy fighters. The no. 3 engine was knocked out and the propeller would not feather. Also the right stabalizer had been shot off. Sgt Ernest G. Kretchmer, enigneer, noticed that the main oxygen supply system was on fire as well as the nose catwalk area. Starting to fall faster from formation und still under heavy attack, the bail out order by Lt Reid was given. The airplane suddenly went into a hard right spinning drive.

A crew member of another B-17 in the formation saw that a German fighter just clipped the right wing tips and the plane went into a hard spinning drive to the right.

Four crew members managed to bail out, but the parachute of the co-pilot, Lt Morgan, caught fire and he didn't survive the jump. Six other crew members died in the crash. The killed men were initially buried at the cemetery of Bad Münder on 14 January 1944.

The group picture was made at Dyersburg, Tennessee. The B-17 pictured was not A/C 42-31372. After the picture was taken, S/Sgt Anthony W. Czamecki was added to the crew.