Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress into the Gulf of Mexico: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1943 at 1600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-24621
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3306
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft left an airbase located in the south of the US for a combined exercise with five other similar aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico. In flight, the top of the rudder of 41-24621 hit the right wing of 42-6031. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the sea and crashed some 50 miles off Galveston, Texas. All 22 occupants in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John F. Arrillaga,
Sgt Joe T. Barron,
2nd Lt Paul Bradnan,
Sgt Howard J. Code,
S/Sgt John E. Linam,
Sgt John T. Loften,
2nd Lt George J. Long,
2nd Lt James J. Palack,
1st Lt Robert H. Smith,
Sgt Jack L. Stewart,
2nd Lt Stevenson A. Williams.
Probable cause:
It appears the collision was caused by a wrong judgement on part of both crew involved.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-35-BO Flying Fortress near Fort Benton: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1943 at 0010 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-5128
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Falls - Great Falls
MSN:
3667
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While performing a night bombing exercise, the four-engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located 6 miles east of Fort Benton. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Jack Y. Fisk,
2nd Lt Arnold J. Gardiner,
Sgt Robert H. Hall,
Sgt John T. Hough,
Sgt Carl E. Lower,
2nd Lt Warren Henry Maginn,
Sgt Chester W. Peko,
Pfc Paul M. Peterson,
Sgt Curio C. Tremonti,
2nd Lt Harold L. Wonders.

Crash of a Boeing B-17-E Flying Fortress in Port Moresby

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-2481
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2292
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield, the aircraft suffered a structural failure and crashed in a field. All crew members from the 63rd BS were uninjured while the aircraft christened 'Old Topper' was damaged beyond repair and used for spares.
Source & photo:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-2481.html
Probable cause:
Structural failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-70-BO Flying Fortress in Daxweiler: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-29830
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4944
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Peter Wabbit' was involved in a bombing mission over Schweinfurt when en route, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Daxweiler, killing all 10 crew members.
Crew (379th BG):
S/Sgt Eldred J. Andruss,
1st Lt William C. Barnard,
S/Sgt Marvin T. Charlson,
T/Sgt Henry I. Cushman,
S/Sgt Francis J. Donahue,
2nd Lt Kenneth F. Gibbs,
1st Lt Joseph J. Hilderbrand,
T/Sgt Benjamin Radensky,
1st Lt Erwalt D. Wagner,
S/Sgt Dean J. Yates.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-5-BO Flying Fortress in Opijnen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1943 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-24399
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn
MSN:
3084
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Bassingbourn on a bombing mission to Kassel, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter (Focke-Wulf Fw.190A-6) and crashed in a field. Eight crew members were killed while both pilots survived.
Crew:
2nd Lt Keene C. McCammon, pilot,
2nd Lt John P. Bruce, copilot,
T/Sgt Douglas V. Blackwood,
T/Sgt Americo Cianfichi,
1st Lt Robert U. Duggan,
S/Sgt George R. Krueger,
2nd Lt Daniel V. Ohman,
S/Sgt Mike A. Perrotta,
S/Sgt Hermon D. Poling,
S/Sgt Harold R. Sparks .
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Hendricks AFB

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-2530
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2341
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Hendricks AFB, near Sebring, a gear collapsed. The aircraft skidded on runway and veered off before coming to rest. No casualties.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapse on landing.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Buin: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1943 at 0540 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-9128
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carney - Carney
MSN:
2600
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew left Carney Airfield in the early morning to attack the Kahili Airfield in Buin. Following a successful mission, the aircraft christened 'De-Icer' was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in flames 5 miles northwest of the airfield. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (5th BG):
1st Lt Karl G. Stubblefield, pilot,
2nd Lt William E. Nevling, copilot,
1st Lt Walter C. Witherspoon, navigator,
1st Lt Robert J. Jones, bombardier,
M/Sgt Lowell E. Symons, flight engineer,
T/Sgt John L. Larson, assistant engineer,
T/Sgt Thomas H. Shadrick, radio operator,
Sgt Don E. Christenson, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Ranier P. Payton,
S/Sgt Louis Penven Jr.
Probable cause:
Shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress in Vriescheloo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1943 at 1300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-30156
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
MSN:
5270
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The four engine bomber left RAF Thurleigh in the morning on a bombing mission to Hanover, Germany. Following an uneventful mission and while returning to its base, the aircraft was hit by the German Flak and shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. A crew member was killed while nine other occupants bailed out. Unfortunately, two of them were killed as their parachute did not open properly.
Crew (423th Squadron):
Wes Courson, pilot,
Roy Bronson, copilot,
Ted Grezlak, navigator,
Henry Lynch, bombardier,
John Champion, flight engineer,
Cedric White, air gunner,
Bill Lamb, air gunner,
S/Sgt William G. Dayton, radio operator, †
Sgt Dock G. Thomas Jr., air gunner, †
Sgt Robert C. Stevens, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak and a German fighter as well.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Buin: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-9153
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2625
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
En route, the four-engine bomber christened 'Tokyo Taxi' was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed in flames near the Kahili Airfield, in the region of Buin. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (23rd BS):
Cpl William T. Davis,
1st Lt Rex Eckles,
2nd Lt William H. Fox,
S/Sgt Raymond H. Greene,
Sgt Paul L. Hensley,
Cpl Edmund O. Hill,
2nd Lt David C. Jones,
Sgt Herbert J. Kelly,
2nd Lt Richard H. Knop,
Sgt Charles D. Savedge.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-55-DL Flying Fortress on Mt Bomber: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1943 at 2359 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-3399
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pendleton – Grand Island
MSN:
8335
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in Grand Island in order to prepare to join the European operations. En route, the crew inform ground about his position over Powder River. This was the last communication. Around 2359LT, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Bighorn Mountain Range, in the north part of Wyoming. All SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 crew members was found. Two cowboys found the wreckage on August 12, 1945. The aircraft was off course at the time of the accident. After a petition by veterans groups in Wyoming, the unnamed mountain on which the aircraft crashed was christened 'Bomber Mountain' on 22 August 1946 by the U.S. Forest Service.
Crew (318th BS):
Lt William R. Ronaghan, pilot,
Lt Anthony S. Tilotta, copilot,
Lt Leonard H. Phillips, navigator,
Lt Charles H. Suppes, bombardier,
Sgt James A. Hinds, flight engineer,
Sgt Lee V. Millar, assistant to the flight engineer,
Sgt Ferguson T. Bell, radio operator,
Sgt Charles E. Newburn Jr., assistant to the radio operator,
Sgt Jake E. Penick, air gunner,
Sgt Lewis M. Shepherd, air gunner.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was nearly 120 miles off course to the north and flying below the prescribed flight altitude, thus below the elevation of the Bighorn Mountain Range.