Keeping A Promise!

Hello To All
73 years ago today the 384th Bomb Group took off from Grafton Underwood UK
Station 106 on a mission to the Ball Bearing Factories at Schweinfurt
Germany. On this mission between the time of 13:54 and 13:57, 6 out of 7
B17's from the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron were shot down. My
Uncle TSgt Joseph Rachunas was a Tailgunner on one of those planes and
became a POW at Stalag 17B for the rest of the War.This is Ben's story!!
An Aviation Masterpiece & The Story Behind It
I was very fortunate to become friends with Dewayne "Ben" Bennett. The
pilot of the only B17 from the 545th to make it back to base that day. Ben
had helped me with all the information about the day my Uncle was shot down.
He also pointed me in the direction of the 384th website. Where I have
become a member and, now enter combat crews from the original loading list
to the database. While speaking with Ben about this day he told me that he
wanted the memory of the men who lost their lives that day to be remembered.
I told him I would do that for him. He passed away in March of 2011. I am
Keeping my promise to him. I miss ya Ben!!!!! This is Ben's list of the men
that died that day!
Attachment 82791

Semper Fi
Phil

The crew list and the story along with a little basic knowledge of crew positions and escape hatches makes the final moments of those b17s frightingly vivid.

Thanks

Fascinating story..................just by sharing it you will have achieved Ben's aim.........LEST WE FORGET.
The Queen was coming to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in the late 90', and as a Police Search Team member, we were allocated our aircraft to search for IED's in the American museum.
Three of us were allocated the Super Fortress, and as I was the spritest of the three I volunteered to search the aft section, bomb bay to the rear turret.
As I lay on my back, and pulled myself along, on what can only be described as a board on wheels, it seemed forever, as I decided to start at the back and work forward.
I kept thinking on route to the guns in the tail, what must have this been like over Vietnam or other conflicts this old bird had seen action in, trying to make your way to a hatch to jump from..............or was it simply tough, your number had been called??
The only times I have seen these birds when they were shot from the skies after being hit by Vietcong missiles on video's I always thought of that poor tail gunner.
The same G Force must have been felt by the lads in B17's too, regardless of whether you were in the belly or the tail..................Great Credit, where Credit is due.............my thoughts like you Phil, often think of those brave brave men whenever I see those aircraft, now quite often at Duxford near Cambridge, and the rows upon rows of American servicemen laid to rest at Madingley U.S Cemetery, mostly from B17 raids over occupied territories in WW2.
One thing I can tell all my American friends is..........they are well looked after over here on a daily basis!!!

Phil,
Just to add to Ben's list.
Many of the same crews from the 547th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomber Group, Heavy, were buried together at either Lorraine American Cemetery or the Netherlands American Cemetery, Having fought and died side by side, at least they are ALL together. RIP

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

One thing I can tell all my American friends is..........they are well looked after over here on a daily basis!!!

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Friends indeed.
Thanks