B-17G " Carrie B "   42-31593    613th

20 April 1944   Mission # 53   Target: Bois Coquerel , France


                  20 April 1944 , 15:20 engines are on.
                  28 aircraft were airborne by 1620 , target today is Bois Coquerel (German V-1 rocket sites on the Pas de Calais) .

                  Bombing results ranged from fair to excellent on these difficult targets.
                  Flak was intense and accurate and, because of the haze, all formations made more than one run over the target.
                  Two 401st aircraft were brought down by flak.
                  No. 42-97448, flown by Lt. Charles S. Ksieniewicz, and No. 42-31593, flown by Lt. Frank F. Dougherty.

Missing Air Crew Report : 4054

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

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

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :E-N-E.
       Target :Bois Coquerel , France.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Ceiling and visibility unrestricted.

4.    Last know date : 20 April 1944
       time : 18:55-
       location : 5001 - 0150 E.

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

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-31593

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Carrie B

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 Frank Percy Daugherty Jr. 2nd Lt. 0-753863 KIA
Copilot William Patrick Maher 2nd Lt 0-753837 POW
Navigator Dennis Allen Beach F/O T-1430 POW
Bombardier Rito Fuentes Arellano 2nd Lt 0-758746 KIA
Radio Operator Joseph Michael Pavlovski Jr. S/Sgt 14078643 KIA
Engr / Top Turret Harold Leroy Jones S/Sgt 39550693 KIA
Ball Turret Gunner Patrick Leo Leffler Sgt 39291617 KIA
Tail Gunner Jerome Wesley Nelson S/Sgt 20752119 KIA
Left Waist Gunner William John Williams Sgt 6711069 KIA
Right Waist Gunner Lawrence William Skehan Sgt 31089101 KIA
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

David N. Hadsell          Cpl.          32473097        613 th
Allen S. Buchanan        1st Lt.      0-738535         613 th
Charles D. Kashner      S/Sgt.      15333266        613 th

-     # 3 engine hit by flak flames along trailing edge to # 4 engine.
      A/C left formation and leveled off at 20,000 Feet.
      One chute came out but I am of the opinion that it would have been impossible for anyone to have gotten out.
      Difficult to tell because of the haze.
      About 3 or 4 minutes later A/C pulled up vertically , went into a dive to about 12,000 Feet and then exploded.




Mission to Bois Coquerel, France, # 3 engine hit by flak,went into dive and exploded.
Crashed near Pont-Remy, France


Will be continued soon



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