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MACR PILOT: 1Lt  Donald K.  Oakes  - O-72891
MACR: 00683 FICHE : 00225

ORGANIZATION
LOCATION: AAF Station #139 COMMAND: VIII AF GROUP: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
SQUADRON: 351st BS DETACHMENT:  
     

DETAIL
DEPARTURE:AAF Station #139 INITIAL COURSE: Regansburg  
INTENDED DESTINATION: North Africa    
MISSION TYPE:Operational    

WEATHER & VISIBILITY AT TIME OF LAST REPORT
CONDITION: CAVU    

GIVE
DATE: 1943-08-17 TIME: 10:00 LOCATION: Before reaching target

SPECIFY:

Last Sighted

CONFIRMED OR BELIEVED REASON FOR LOSS
LOSS DUE TO : Enemy aircraft

OTHER REASON FOR LOSS:

AIRCRAFT: 42-30080
TYPE: B-17 SERIES: F  
     
     

ENGINES:
MODEL: R-1820-97    
A: 43-56?98
B: 43-56464
C: 43-56384
D: 43-56422
    

INSTALLED WEAPONS:
A: 493879
B: 504091
C: 493843
D: 493841		 E: 503648
F: 504006
G: 503475
H: 503173		 I: 506613
J: 503785
K: 494097
L: 509024

PERSONS BELOW ARE LISTED AS:
CASUALTY TYPE: Battle casualty  
NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD:    
CREW: 10 PASS: 0 TOTAL: 10

PERSONNEL:

POSITION NAME RANK SERIAL
P1
P2 Donald K.  Oakes 1Lt O-72891
CP Joseph C. Harper F/O T-60796
NAV (N) Hiram E. Harris 2Lt O-791587
BOM (B) Lloyd A. Hammarlund 2Lt O-739026
RAD James P. Scott TSgt 1302050
ENG George W. Elder TSgt 3301721
BAL Leslie D. Nadeau SSgt 1102966
WG (W) Nolan D. Stevens SSgt 39847009
WG (W) Vincent E. McGraft SSgt 119944
TG (T) Leonard P. Goyer SSgt 19099826

PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT

   

PERSONNEL WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SURVIVED

REASON: OTHER:  

EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH

Report: 
B-17 #080 left formation prior to bombing.  No information available other than what is given.
   
   
Second Witness: No Data  
Report: 

      

    





  
DESCRIPTION OF SEARCH EFFORT

  

    

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PREPARING OFFICER


PREPARED BY: CLAUDE L. HOSFORD 1st Lt  Air Corps Personnel Officer  


DATE PREPARED:
  1943-09-05


  



TRANSCRIBER NOTES



    
    REPORT: 
THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST AMERICAN BOMBER TO LAND IN SWITZERLAND.  IT WAS FOLLOWED BY OTHERS BEFORE THE WAR'S END. LT OAKES STATEMENT FOLLOWS; "SOME TIME BEFORE REACHING THE TARGET A 20-MM SHELL EXPLODED IN THE NO #3 NACELLE, CUTTING THE THROTTLE CABLE AND STARTING A HEAVY OIL LEAK.  I THEN FEATHERED THE PROP. THE BTG ADVISED ME THERE WAS A HEAVY OIL LEAK IN THE NO #2 ENGINE.  THE PLANE COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THE FORMATION AND I LANDED AT THE NEAREST FIELD, WHEELS UP, ON THE BELLY.  WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO BURN THE PLANE AS IT WAS IMMEDIATELY  SURROUNDED BY SOLDIERS. MYSELF AND THE REST OF THE CREW WERE INTERNED."