Cycle Route Wings of Freedom: Crash Site Boeing B-17G-5-BO, W-No. 42-31146

On January 30th 1944, 708th Bomb Sqn, 447th Bomb Group of the USAAF attacked targets in Braunschweig. They had left from their English base at Rattlesden near Burt St. Edmunds. The B-17, 42-31.116, piloted by Merten Putnam, was part of this group.

While returning from this mission the aircraft was so badly hit by flak that it was impossible to keep the machine in the air. The emergency landing that had been started had to be broken off. Nearly all the crew members were able to jump out on their parachutes. The chute of one of them failed to open up which resulted in the man’s death. Parts of the plane came down in Rottum and on the Gesselt road. The rest of the fuselage, wings and engines fell down on the Cyriakusplatz. Eight crew members were taken prisoner.

Crew members:
Pilot Merten Putnam POW
Copilot Walt Hauptmann POW
Navigator Morton Gold POW
Bombardier Bill Marshall POW
Flight engineer Clarry Stewart POW
Radio operator Milton Glantz KIA Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Aerial gunner Oren Smith KIA Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Aerial gunner Jim Fordyce POW
Aerial gunner Chas Sammer POW
Aerial gunner Fred Herudek POW

The crash took place at the coordinates: 51.626713, 6.200918.


In collaboration with the municipalities of Bergen, Gennep, Mook-Middelaar and Weeze, the initiative was created for cycling routes 'Wings of Freedom' along crash locations.
In the four municipalities, 28 crash sites have been definitively confirmed. Near each crash site is a memorial sign with information about the cause of the crash. Using the network of cycling nodes, there are four routes of approximately 30 - 40 km. deployed along these places.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Werkgroep Wings of Freedom
• Photos: Werkgroep Wings of Freedom (1), Peter Schipper (2, 3, 4)
• Vliegtuigcrashroute Wings of Freedom