- Joined
- May 27, 2019
B-17G-10-DL, BK-H, serial number 42-37781 "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail.
Hit by bomb drop from above by upper combat box airplane from 379BG which knocked off its tail, crashed March 9th, 1944,
Missing Air Crew Report 3005.
Pilot: Merlin H. Reed, 19 combat missions, KiA
Co-pilot: Bruce M. Rininsland KiA
Navigator: Pete Gudyka, 21 combat missions, KiA
Bombardier: John L. Heiss, 16 combat missions, KiA
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Robert O. Johnson, 16 combat missions, KiA
Radio Operator: Robert F. Wellman, 20 combat missions, KiA
Waist gunner: Joseph Jacobson, 11 combat missions, KiA
Tail gunner: Emmett F. Hardy KiA
Ball turret gunner: Arthur John Osepchook, 21 combat missions, PoW, transferred to the USAF in 1947 and retired as Master Sergeant. Passed away October 16th, 2018, Ozark MI
Waist gunner: John J. Plotz, POW, passed away September 14th, 2002, Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside California