16 September 1943

Boeing B-17F-BO "Battlin Bobbie" (s/n 42-29876 code FR-B)

Messac "Les Hougrais" (35)
(contributors : Daniel Dahiot, J.P. Favrais, France Crashes 39-45)

Crew (379^th BG, 525^th BS)

The crew of the B-17 "Battlin Bobbie" :
- standing from left to right : William J. MILLER, Herbert W. DULBERG, Russel H. ELDRIDGE, John A. LEARY (*), Harry L. MINOR, John F. THOMAS
- squatting from left to right : Elton HOYT, James W. SEXTON (**), Jack P. FIRESTONE (***), Paul A. CRUM (****)
Photo NARA 342-FH-3A11452-A71023AC
(*) tail gunner (S/Sgt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943.
(**) co-pilot (F/O), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943
(***) navigator (Lt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943
(****) bombardier (Lt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943.

- (Pilot) Lt Elton "Pete" HOYT III (service number O-731872), escaped.

- (Copilot) Lt Norman C. SCHROEDER (service number O-522490), escaped.

- (Navigator) 2^nd Lt Williams J. COOK Jr (service number O-670094), escaped.

- (Bombardier) 2^nd Lt Louis P. GLICKMAN (service number O-731497), escaped.

- (Radio operator) S/Sgt Herbert William DULBERG (service number 36341181), escaped.

- (Engineer)  T/Sgt John F. THOMAS (service number 38097706), prisonnier.

- (Ball turret gunner) Sgt Russel H. ELDRIDGE (service number 39531040), prisonnier.

- (Left waist gunner) T/Sgt William James MILLER (service number 33365620), escaped.

-(Right waist gunner) S/Sgt Harry L. MINOR (service number 19071371), escaped.

- (Tail gunner) Sgt Edward R. SHAFFER (service number 35384298), escaped.

The crew of the B-17 "Battlin Bobbie" :
- standing from left to right : William J. MILLER, Herbert W. DULBERG, Russel H. ELDRIDGE, John A. LEARY (*), Harry L. MINOR, John F. THOMAS
- squatting from left to right : Elton HOYT, James W. SEXTON (**), Jack P. FIRESTONE (***), Paul A. CRUM (****)
Photo NARA 342-FH-3A11452-A71023AC
(*) tail gunner (S/Sgt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943.
(**) co-pilot (F/O), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943
(***) navigator (Lt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943
(****) bombardier (Lt), was not on the flight of September 16, 1943.

Two members of the B-17 "Battlin Bobbie" crew :
On the right, pilot Elton Hoyt. On the left, we couldn't identify the airman.
In the center... the aircraft's mascot.  
Photo NARA 342-FH-3A46425-71276AC

THE STORY
On September 16, 1943, B-17 s/n 42-29876 took off from RAF Kimbolton (Station 117), Cambridgeshire, England, at 10:30 a.m. for a bombing mission over Nantes. It was hit by flak on its left wing 10 minutes before reaching the target. Orders were given to bail out, and the aircraft crashed at a place called "Les Hougrais" (or "Hougrâs") in the Cormeré heath, 2 km southwest of Messac.