B-17G   "Dry Run"  42-37843     615th

14 June 1944   Mission #90   Target: Le bourget, France


                  14 June 44 , all 60 aircraft were airborne by 05:17.
                  60 planes are off on mission #90.
                  Target today is the airfield at Le Bourget,France.

                  For the 401st Bomb Group, this was the most important mission to date.
                  The Group put up 60 aircraft--by far the most for any one mission.
                  Flak at the target was moderate and accurate, and the Group was also attacked by two German Me-109's just before
                  reaching the target, resulting in the loss of Lt. Russell H. Schroeder and his crew, flying "Dry Run" (42-37843).
                  The German fighters were immediately bounced and shot down by U.S. fighter aircraft.

Missing Air Crew Report : 5801

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 615th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course : East.
       Target : Le Bourget , France.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Clouds below - 15000 ft.

4.    Last know date : 14 Jun 1944
       time : 08:00
       location : 4852 - 0252 E.

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

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-37843

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Dry Run

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 Russell Edwin Schroeder 2nd Lt 0-813424 KIA
Copilot William E. Mountain 2nd Lt 0-817722 RTD
Navigator Erroll Ronald Rice 2nd Lt 0-809425 RTD
Bombardier Eugene Victor Crawley S/Sgt 36520014 RTD
Radio Operator Charles Morris Davis S/Sgt 39557759 RTD
Engr / Top Turret William Patrick Bryant S/Sgt 18137381 RTD
Ball Turret Gunner Joseph John Owens Sgt 12120160 RTD
Tail Gunner Charles Edwin Avery S/Sgt 38200254 RTD
Left Waist Gunner Donald Willard Grimble Sgt 38483726 RTD
Right Waist Gunner Richard Alton Nyberg Sgt 37549895 RTD
13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Post, Edwin A.              S/Sgt.        31203844
Robideaux, Jay W.        S/Sgt.        31203844

- 4 to 8 190's came in from 12 to 2 o'clock low and appeared to concentrate on A/C 7843.
  His right horizontal stabilizer was shot off and the other appeared useless.
  A/C pulled up in about 70 degrees climb and climbed 100 - 125 yards above formation, stalled and fell off on right
  wing and went into vertical dive with very low spin.


If you have questions, remarks or information , please feel free to Email me
or leave a message in my guestbook

Top