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syscom3
Pacific Historian
Ground crew of 303rd BG, 359th BS with B-17F 41-24603 Green Hornet.
This B17 went MIA on Jan 23 1943 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Three engines were knocked out by flak over the target and then it was shot down by FW-190 fighters. All the crew bailed out but the Pilot and Co-Pilot stayed with the aircraft because they only had one usable parachute between them and made a crash landing at Kergolay near Motreff, France The Tail Gunner, SSgt Joseph L. Markiewicz had been wounded but managed to bail out and was captured, but he died of his wounds on 12-Feb-43. (5 POW, 1 POW - DIC, 4 EVD)
This B17 went MIA on Jan 23 1943 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Three engines were knocked out by flak over the target and then it was shot down by FW-190 fighters. All the crew bailed out but the Pilot and Co-Pilot stayed with the aircraft because they only had one usable parachute between them and made a crash landing at Kergolay near Motreff, France The Tail Gunner, SSgt Joseph L. Markiewicz had been wounded but managed to bail out and was captured, but he died of his wounds on 12-Feb-43. (5 POW, 1 POW - DIC, 4 EVD)