Memorial

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2nd Lt Laurin P. Otting attended Weimar and Austin High School and the University of Texas.

Below are some eyewitness statements of crew members of other B-17's in the same group.

1st Lt Thomas F Fleming:
We were flying over the front lines at approximately 20000 feet when I observed B-17-G, 43-38911 to receive a direct hit by flak on the nose section. The nose section back to number 6 bulk-head was blown off and the aircraft nosed downward, definitely out of control, but no smoke or flames were visable. I was flying as Co-Pilot and lost sight of subject aircraft at this time. The ball turret-gunner of my crew reported that he had watched the plane until it crashed into the ground. We saw no men leave the aircraft or parachutes open.
S/Sgt Elo O Meisetschlaeger:
We were flying over the front lines on the way to the target, altitude approximately 20000 feet, when I observed aircraft B-17-G, 43-38911, to receive a direct hit by flak on the nose section. The nose section was blown off back as far as the pilot's compartment. The aircraft immediately went out of control and nosed downward in a vertical dive. No smoke or flames were visable. The aircraft had dropped about 10000 feet when it passed from my view. I saw no crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes open.
Sgt Elmor B Russel:
I was flying as Tail-Gunner of our ship and aircraft B-17-G, 43-8911, was flying just below my position. I first noticed that subject aircraft was in trouble as it was going down in a dive. At this time it was approximately 1000 feet below us. I than lost sight of the aircraft, but as I looked out in back of where I last saw it, I observed one parachute floating in the air. I saw no other crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes open.

Eight crew members were killed, one was taken prisoner.

Records show that Lt Otting must have survived the crash also and was taken prisoner, although he died the same day.

The killed crew members, along with decaesed airmen of other airplanes, were initially buried at the cemetery of Sandweiler, Germany.

Later Lt Otting was given a temporary grave at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Foy, Belgium on 20 April 1945, before he was given his final resting place at Henri-Chapelle in November 1948.

One picture shows his uncle, Army Chaplain Jesse Jone, kneeling at his grave at the cemetery in Foy.