Memorial

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S/Sgt Thomas J. Vezina enlisted in New York.

The mission of the day was to bomb aviation industry plants in Brunswick, but cloud cover prevented visual bombing. Therefore, 597 B-17s bombed the secondary target, the city center, and 2 bombed other targets of opportunity.

The airplane was last seen at 1146 hrs., some six minutes before the initial point, the formation would turn to a heading that would take it over the target. It was attacked by FW 190s and began falling away from the formation, where it burst into flames and blew up.

According to the statement of one surviving crew member, co-pilot 1st Lt Francis P. Nelson, the bomb bay was burning intensely. They couldn't salvo the bombs as all bomb release mechanisms would not function due to enemy gunfire.

Seven crew members were killed, three bailed out and were taken prisoner.

The tailgunner, S/Sgt Robert A. Grimes, stated that he saw S/Sgt Vezina just before the airplane exploded. He was hit and bleeding very badly. He was lying in front of the waist door.