B-17G " Gloria J "   42-39881    614th

11 April 1944   Mission # 49   Target: Politz, Sorau , Poland


                  April 11, 1944 , 06:50 engines are on , 32 aircraft were airborne by 07:55
                  target today is a synthetic oil refinery at Politz , Sorau.

                  The primary target for this mission was the FW 190 assembly plant at Sorau, southeast of Berlin.
                  However, because the primary target was obscured by clouds, the Group bombed the secondary target,
                  the large synthetic oil refinery at Politz, just north of Stettin. Enroute to the target the Group encountered terrific flak,
                  during which three aircraft were lost..
                  Including the B-17's piloted by Lt. Robert O. Stine

Missing Air Crew Report : 4017

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 614th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :East.
       Target : Sorau , Politz.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Clear.

4.    Last know date : 11 April 1944
       time : 10:55
       location : Near Hanover , Germany.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : Enemy anti-aircraft

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-39881

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Gloria J

8.    Engines : R-1820-97.

10.  Persons listed below listed as : Battle Casualties.

11.  Persons on board : Crew : 10.

12.  List crew position , name , rank , serial no. and current status :
Pilot Robert Oscar Stine 1st Lt 0-803891 KIA
Copilot Robert James Kehoe 2nd Lt 0-752209 KIA
Navigator Lee Sanford Miller Jr. 2nd Lt 0-809680 KIA
Bombardier Walter Paul Empric 2nd Lt 0-682091 POW
Radio Operator Frank Edward Keeney T/Sgt 32623979 KIA
Engr / Top Turret Paul Wilderson Trump T/Sgt 13119931 KIA
Ball Turret Gunner John Mario Risi S/Sgt 13176766 KIA
Tail Gunner Gilbert Prager S/Sgt 32714501 POW
Left Waist Gunner Richard George Thill S/Sgt 16146854 KIA
Right Waist Gunner Edward James Phillips S/Sgt 38398663 KIA
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Alva H. Chapman          Capt.      0-461727       614 th
Charles M. Smith          1st Lt      0-734380       614 th
Jesse O. Pack                   T/Sgt      38222601      613 th

- Lt Stine's crew is believed to have had the most difficult time.
   No. 3 engine was hit by flak, the aircraft left the formation and seemed to be under control.
   Suddenly it caught fire and exploded almost immediatly.
   One or two chutes were reported seen but chances of survival were reported exceptionally poor.
   One crew member, still wearing a flak suit, was blown from ship but it is believed he did not have his chute snapped
   to the harness.






Mission to Politz, Poland, after being hit by flak, the plane had no 2 engine on fire.
They crashed near Isernhagen, Germany.


Will be continued soon



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