Boeing B-17F-50-BO 42-5360 (303rd BG, 358th BS, "War Bride" aka "Old Faithful") lost Jan 11, 1944. MACR 1926
ne of the 303rd losses was the B-17F-50-BO 42-5360 "Old Faithful" VK-G of 358th BS, piloted by 2Lt. Harry A. Schwaebe. This aircraft was flying its 35th mission and had suffered heavy damage during the second Schweinfurt raid. It was shot down by German fighters. It peeled out of formation about 1110 hours and was last seen at 17,000 feet under control. No parachutes were reported by the other US crews. The ship crashed 200 m south of Horn, Kreis Lippe. The whole crew bailed out but one, Sgt. Russell O. Whitesell, did not survive. His death cause is unknown. The nine other crew were captured and taken prisoner.
Crew (MACR 1926):
2nd Lt Harry A. Schwaebe (pilot) POW
2nd Lt Harold F. Dumse (copilot) POW
2nd Lt Paul T. Degnan (navigator) POW
2nd Lt Wilburn W. Wiley (air bomber) POW
S/Sgt Roy Foreman (flight engineer) POW
T/Sgt Mark E. Tudor (radio) POW
Sgt Benjamin F. Harvey (ball turret gunner) POW
Sgt James F. Malcolm (left waist gunner) POW
Sgt Russell O. Whitesell (right waist gunner) KIA
Sgt George F. Iott (tail gunner) POW
It was the seventh mission of Schwaebe Crew (the first being on 11 December 1943). Whitesell was buried on the 17th in Detmold cemetery.
- USAF Serial Number Search Results
- Accident Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress 42-5360, Tuesday 11 January 1944
- E17 - Original 616 B&W Aircraft Negative - Boeing B-17F Fortress 42-5360 G*VK | eBay