B-17G " Hey Lou "   42-31064     613th

31 December 1943   Mission #10   Target: Cognac


                  31 December 43 , 0655 hours , engines are on.
                  21 planes are off on mission #10.
                  Target today is Bordeaux, France , but due to clouds they continued to the secondary target, a Luftwaffe Airbase at
                  Cognac , which was bombed with excellent result.

Missing Air Crew Report : 1872

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 613th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course : Heading 340 N.
       Target : Bordeaux, France.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Scattered clouds, visibility fair to good.

4.    Last know date : 31 dec 1943
       time : 15:30
       location : 49° 50'N - 02° 50'W. near Guernsey.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : Enemy aircrafts.

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-31064

7.    Nickname of aircraft : " Hey Lou ".

8.    Engines : R-1820-97.

9.   Persons listed below listed as : Battle Casualties.

10.  Persons on board : Crew : 10.

11.  List crew position , name , rank , serial no. and current status :
Pilot Donald Henry Lawry 2nd Lt 0-801998 DED
Copilot James Samuel Dockendorf 2nd Lt 0-648698 KIA
Navigator Harry Whorton Self 2nd Lt 0-674804 DED
Bombardier Bernard Weiner 2nd Lt 0-749604 DED
Radio Operator Lee J. Peters S/Sgt 19062572 DED
Engr / Top Turret Fred Gordon Waterman T/Sgt 32449446 DED
Ball Turret Gunner Charles Clarence Roome S/Sgt 36034929 DED
Tail Gunner Horace Waldon Wood S/Sgt 18219478 DED
Left Waist Gunner Robert W. Knutson Sgt 17169741 DED
Right Waist Gunner Clarence G. College S/Sgt 33257076 DED
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Could , George.        1st Lt        0-900201

- On the return trip from bombing Cognac, the A/C was hit by flak over the target and had to leave formation.
  It continued to fall behind and was observed trailing all the way back to the coast near the Guernsey Islands.
  At this point it was attacked by some enemy fighters and was last seen smoking and diving into the clouds.

Rufus F. Causey.        1st Lt        0-674149

- Wreckage of the aircraft was found out beyond St. Catherine's Point on the South of England.
  Near the wreckage was found the body of Lt. Dockendorf.
  No other bodies or clues to the whereabouts of the remainder of the crew were discovered.





Mission to Cognac, crashed beyond St. Catherine's Point, England





This is all there is to tell about " Hey Lou ".
More information would be highly appriciated.

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    James Samuel Dockendorf Washington       1919 - 1943 KIA CA E - 4 - 30
    Donald Henry Lawry Pennsylvania       1922 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Harry Whorton Self Alabama       1918 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Barnard Weiner New York       1915 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Lee J. Peters California       1920 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Fred Gordon Waterman New York       1921 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Charles Clarence Roome Missouri       1918 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Horace Waldon Wood Arkansas       1923 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Robert W. Knutson Minnesota       1920 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing
    Clarence G. College Pennsylvania       1919 - 1943 DED CA Wall of Missing

    CA = Camebridge , England

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