Date & Time:
Mar 1, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-38035
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
8821
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
In flight, the aircraft collided with another USAAF B-17 registered 43-38273 and also carrying a crew of nine. Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field near Ostend. All 18 crew members on both aircraft were killed. They were engaged in a bombing mission to Ulm, Germany.
Crew (42-38035):
1st Lt Charles Joseph Armbruster,
2nd Lt Robert W. Davis,
Sgt Arthur W. Herold,
Sgt Joe F. Jones,
Sgt Robert A. Mason,
S/Sgt Allan M. Saarnio,
Sgt Charles J. Slavin,
S/Sgt John R. Stringi,
2nd Lt Howard M. Tripp Jr.
Crew (43-38273):
T/Sgt Charles L. Abney Jr.,
2nd Lt George C. Burger,
S/Sgt Harry E. Clabaugh,
S/Sgt James W. Hendon Jr.,
2nd Lt Robert E. Keenan,
S/Sgt Stanley J. Lejkowski,
1st Lt Alexander Rusecky,
T/Sgt Vincent L. Verderame,
S/Sgt Thomas K. Welch.
Crew (42-38035):
1st Lt Charles Joseph Armbruster,
2nd Lt Robert W. Davis,
Sgt Arthur W. Herold,
Sgt Joe F. Jones,
Sgt Robert A. Mason,
S/Sgt Allan M. Saarnio,
Sgt Charles J. Slavin,
S/Sgt John R. Stringi,
2nd Lt Howard M. Tripp Jr.
Crew (43-38273):
T/Sgt Charles L. Abney Jr.,
2nd Lt George C. Burger,
S/Sgt Harry E. Clabaugh,
S/Sgt James W. Hendon Jr.,
2nd Lt Robert E. Keenan,
S/Sgt Stanley J. Lejkowski,
1st Lt Alexander Rusecky,
T/Sgt Vincent L. Verderame,
S/Sgt Thomas K. Welch.
