Henri-Chapelle - Flying Jenny

Flying Jenny

On July 30, 1943 at 11:15 am, the B-17 G Flying Jenny bomber of the 379 Bomber Group, belonging to 525 Bomber Squadron, 8th Air Force, based in Kimbolton, England, returning from a bombing mission of the factories of Fieseler Storch aircraft in Kassel.

 

The crew of the bomber is on alert, they were attacked by German night fighters, the 5 gunners of the bottom edge spit their weapons for several minutes, but the day will end badly for them, they crashed near Henri-Chapelle.

 

The B-17 was shot in the vicinity of the monument, there were 4 dead:

- Pilot: 1st Lt Hoveland Lauwrence B, buried after the War in Washington.

- Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt Kusy Staley A, buried after the War in Arlington. His body was found near the monument. 

- Navigator: 27th Lt Johnston William David L, buried after the war in Belgium, at Henri-Chapelle.

- The gunner of the turret: T / Sgt Denny Carl L, buried after the war in Illinois.

 

The rest of the crew was taken prisoner:

2nd Lt Bombardier Williams David L. and T / Sgt Radio Operator Williams Stanley

The S / Sgt Gunner (Ventral turret, center right and left, as well as the tail) Manista Stanley F, Blanton Joseph W, Oman Andrew J and Wamsley Thiel.