43-38059 Chesty-V

B-17G-75-BO

MIA 11-30-44

June 21, 1944 Delivered to Cheyenne

July 14, 1944 to Lincoln

August 11, 1944 to Grenier

July 12, 1944 Assigned to 391^st Squadron, 34^th Bomb Group, Mendlesham

Mission #64 September 17, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Foster Chesty-V

Mission #66 September 22, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Foster Chesty-V

Mission #67 September 25, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #69 September 27, 1944 43-38059 L/M 18BS Talbott

Mission #70 September 28, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Beyer

Mission #71 October 2, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

October 2, 1944 43-38059 L/M

On Marshalling Chart on Hardstand #18 at 2100-2200 hours.

Mission #72 October 3, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #76 October 9, 1944 43-38059 L/M Palmer

Mission #77 October 14, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #78 October 15, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #79 October 17, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #80 October 19, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #81 October 22, 1944 43-38059 L/M 18BS Palmer

Mission #82 October 25, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #83 October 26, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Palmer

Mission #84 October 28, 1944 43-38059 L/M (unused ground spare)

Mission #85 October 30, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Feldman

Mission #87 November 5, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Hanson

Mission #89 November 9, 1944 43-38059 L/M (unused ground spare – lead)

Mission #91 November 21, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Hanson

Mission #94 November 29, 1944 43-38059 L/M (unused ground spare – lead)

Mission #95 November 30, 1944 43-38059 L/M 391BS Hanson    MIA. See below.

B-17G 43-38059 L/M Missing in Action Merseburg flak. Received direct flak hit in #1 engine just after bombs away.  The aircraft violently slid under the formation losing 2-3000 feet altitude. Engine caught fire and the prop was reported later as windmilling. About five minutes after being hit the engine blew up and tore of the wing sending the plane into a dive straight down. Five to nine chutes reported. Crashed Sommerda, Germany. With 391BS. Pilot: Oscar T. Hanson. Missing Air Crew Report # 10841. 1 Evaded, 4 Killed, 4 Prisoner of War.

KIA HANSON OSCAR T (P)                             CAPT     391          O-1699379              24            BEMIDJI MN

KIA KEIRN ROY C (CP)                                     1 LT        391          O-1169594              26            McKEESPORT PA

POW TOPPING DONALD G (N)                       1 LT        391          O-703344                22            ST LOUIS MO

POW LIPSCOMB LINDSEY L (B)                     1 LT        391          O-696233                22            CONROE TX

EVD SHULL PAUL L (E/TT)                              T/SGT    391          17059208                24            KANSAS CITY MO

KIA SIMPSON GEORGE H  (R)                         T/SGT    391          35252969                27            WABASH IN

KIA LAYTONLAWRENCE D (BT)                  S/SGT     391          14147329                20            ATLANTA GA

POW BURTON JOE N (TG)                               S/SGT     391          34687605                24            ATHENS GA

POW BROWN SIDNEY C (WG)                        S/SGT     391          31313627                23

KEIRN ROY C is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery, A-14-23.

The Bits & Pieces Project shows Joe Burton as KIA and Lawrence Layton as POW but the records of the 34^th BG indicate that Layton was KIA and that Burton was POW.

A record dated 17 May 1945 changes the status of Joe N. Brown from MIA to POW as of 30 Nov 1944. Another record dated 26 May 1945 changes the status of Hanson, Keirn, Simpson and Layton from MIA to KIA as of 30 Nov 1944, based on a letter from 1st United States Army dated 28 April 1945, "Report of Burial."