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Capt Edwin R. Manchester graduated from the University of Delaware.

He joined the U.S. Army Reserve in August 1941 with the coast Artillery and seven months later was transferred to the Air Corps for pilot training.

The airplane was hit by flak and last seen with the #2 engine on fire and #4 engine feathered. At that time it started to go down. It also banked to the right to avoid a collision with another B-17 in the group.

They kept dropping back until they were alone. As soon as they were alone, fighters attacked continuously.

The order “Prepare to bail out, we may have to abandon ship.” was given. The oxygen out on the co-pilot’s side and the ball turret gunner informed the pilot that gas was leaking from the #2 engine, covering the bottom of the airplane and that firing one of his guns could set the airplane on fire. He abandoned his position.

Twenty minutes after dropping their load, out of ammunition and badly damaged, the glass nose was knocked out, either by an overhead attack or a loose propeller from the windmilling #3 engine. The navigator and one of the waist gunners managed to escape through the forward escape hatch.

When the nose glass blew off, the ship went into a dive for a few seconds before breaking in half at the waist.

Four crew members were taken prisoner, six men were killed. They were initially buried at the Catholic Cemetery of Bersenbrück, Germany on 13 October 1943.

Capt Edwin R. Manchester, Jr is remembered at Evergreen Woodlawn Cemetery in Factoryville, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania with a memorial marker.