The Boeing B-17G-20-BO bomber “Miss Donna Mae II”, fell under a 1000-pound (453.6 kg) bomb from another B-17 during a raid on Berlin city. Bombs smashed the left horizontal stabilizer, the plane moved into uncontrolled rotation, at an altitude of 4 km due to overloads, its wings broke off and it fell to the ground. The whole crew died.
The plane from which the photo was taken is also B-17 (Lockheed-Vega B-17G-30-VE serial number 42-97791, name “Trudy”). Both aircraft are from the 332nd Bomber Squadron of the 94th Bomber Group of the US Air Force’s 8th Air Force (332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force).
List of crew members of the deceased B-17 bomber:
1st Lt. Marion U. Reid – commander;
2nd Lt. Lewis T. Carter – co-pilot;
2nd Lt. Roger F. Tessier – navigator;
2nd Lt. Stanley D. Duffield – scorer;
T/Sgt. Lee Z. Kieffer – engineer / shooter of the top installation;
T/Sgt. John F. Boone is a radio operator;
T/Sgt. John B. Davis is the radar operator;
S/Sgt. Ludwig H. Huth – shooter;
S/Sgt. Richard E. Brennan – starboard gunner;
S/Sgt. James A. Kalahar – left arrow;
S/Sgt. Willard M. Christensen – tail shooter.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: May 19, 1944