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Robert M. Knox - PICKLEPUSS Crew
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Robert M. Knox Crew and PICKLEPUSS
100th BG Photo Archives
 
CREW #36  A/C #42-30063     "PICKLEPUSS"      MACR #677
CAPT    Robert M. Knox         P        KIA 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
2ND LT  John O. Whitaker      CP      KIA 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
2ND LT  Ernest E. Warsaw NAV    POW 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
2ND LT  Edwin F. Tobin     BOM    POW 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
T/SGT   Carl T. Simon       TTE      POW 16 Sep 43 Bordeaux
S/SGT   Malcolm K. Madden WG SEE NOTE
T/SGT   Walter Paulsen        ROG     POW 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
S/SGT   Frank W. Tychewicz BTG    KIA 17 Aug 43 Regensberg
S/SGT   Joseph F. Laspada              WG      KIA      17 Aug 43 Regensberg
S/SGT   Henry A. Norton TG       KIA 17 Aug 43 Regensberg

NOTES:

Malcom Madden was replaced on the crew by Sgt Alexander Markowski who was KIA at Regensberg 17 Aug 43

Shot down by enemy fighters, The aircraft crashed at "uot;Herbesthal_Lintzen, 500 meters west of Schmalgaf. The six dead were interned at the Cemetery of Honor at Eupen Secton 16 in Graves 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, and 232.

This is the 100th aircraft linked to the famous “Gear Down” incident. Supposedly the lowering of the landing gear signaled surrender, but when fighters joined up with the B-17 to lead it to landing strip they were fired on. Thus the Luftwaffe singled out the Square D aircraft and attacked them with greater intensity than other groups. This never occurred in regard to PICKLEPUS.  Martin Middlebrook has traced a “wheels down” incident to another group on the Regensburg Mission. Middlebrook has interviewed the Luftwaffe pilots who shot down PICKLEPUSS and they refute the gear down claim.

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