American Aircrafs

42-40054Blitzing BetsySuzy Sag TitsDuchess of Dixie

42-31194 – Duchess of Dixie

Letter: P
Model: Boeing B17G-BO Flying Fortress
Sqn: 562BSQ
Crash oorzaak: Neergeschoten door Flak
Crash Locatie:  Schöningsdorf net over de grens in Duitsland
Tijd : onbekend

The Crew

  • Vlieger: Clarence Asbury Gridley Jr. - Krijgsgevangene
  • 2e Vlieger: 2nd Lt. Eino Viljo Alander - Overleden
  • Navigator: Unknown
  • Bommenrichter: 2nd Lt. Donald F. Mecum - Krijgsgevangene
  • Radiotelegrafist: T/Sgt. Robert W. Fanning - Krijgsgevangene
  • 2e Radiotelegrafist: T/Sgt. George Horace Hockenberry - Krijgsgevangene
  • Boordwerktuigkundige: T/Sgt. James Harry Parker - Overleden
  • Buikkoepelschutter: S/Sgt. Bayne F. Tucker - Overleden
  • Zijkoepelschutter: S/Sgt. James William Johnson - Missing
  • Zijkoepelschutter: S/Sgt. Donald Eugene Liebman - Overleden
  • Staartschutter: Unknown

On that day more American bombers came down in the southeast corner of Drenthe (and the adjacent area of Germany). The B-17 with the serial no. 42-31194 of the 1/Lt. Clarence A. Gridley, was hit by German fighters in the same area at about 2:55 pm. When the plane was last seen, it burned and gradually descended. Five to six parachutes were sighted. This is correct because seven men were able to save themselves with their "chute", including Gridley. Then the machine exploded and fell to pieces. The wreckage of this Boeing landed at Schöningsdorf, just on the other side of the Dutch-German border, opposite the Zwartemeer in Drenthe. Three crew members were killed, including the rear gunner, S/Sgt. Selmer Thompson and the co-pilot, 2/Lt. Eino V. Alander, while there was also a seriously injured person, who would later have succumbed to his injuries. Possibly this was Sgt. Donald F. Liebman, the wounded belly turret gunner, who with the also wounded dorsal turret gunner, T/Sgt. James H. Parker, was transferred to a prisoner of war hospital in Lingen. It is remarkable that the report we consulted (of the Airfield Command A91/XI Plantlünne) gives the name of the third fallen as Michael Perma (A.S.N. 32758509), whom we have not been able to identify. The only crew member not mentioned among the dead, wounded, or prisoners is S/Sgt. Bayne F. Tucker, the right side hatch gunner. He may have left the plane before. But who was Michael Perma then?