Alright…here’s the story…my grandfather on my stepmother’s side, Eugene Cramer, was apparently on one of these early B-17’s in some of the first missions over Europe….the story goes that their B-17 was hit by a 109 fighter at about the same time that the belly gunner hit the 109, exploding it and imbedding a piece of the Messer in my grandfather’s hand (not a very big piece, it stayed there the rest of his life and never bothered him)….the crew had to bail out and he spent the rest of the war a POW…always said that under the Luftwaffe things in the POW camp were fairly decent treatment wise, but when the SS or whoever replaced them late in the war came into the camp and took over management, things got worse. But he made it out alive and returned to the states and only sparingly would talk about events during the war…not his favorite subject.
I would like to find out which outfit he was attached to and some more about their (his squadron’s) war record, and maybe more about the mission(s) he and his squadron flew…..anyone out there interested in helping? My grandfather passed away from Cancer about 4 years ago and while I’m sure there are some ‘family papers’ and such buried somewhere, I do not at present have access to them so I thought I’d start here….
Thanks in advance for any help…
M
By: Distiller - 9th December 2005 at 08:58
The first missions of USAAF B-17E, which were the first version used in Europe, took place mid August 1942.
RAF used three dozen or so Lend-Lease B-17C against costal targets during the summer of 1941, but the results were rather disappointing.
By: Eric Mc - 9th December 2005 at 08:49
I am pretty sure the first USAAF B-17s used in the European theatre were Es and Fs.
The RAF used Cs as bombers but with no great conviction. Their main role with the RAF was in Coastal Command.
By: Smith - 9th December 2005 at 03:25
Mark
A few months ago I read an article, in FlyPast I think (just stopped for a moment wondering if it might have been another mag or maybe a FP Special like that “Bombers” one of theirs) anyway IIRC the first B17’s in use in the European theatre were in the hands of the RAF – one squadron, essentially experimental, and they flew them very, very high, in small flights. Didn’t work very well primarily because if the early engines at altitude.
I guess that doesn’t really help you as I assume you’re talking of early USAAF aircraft in the theatre. I must say I didn’t appreciate that C’s and D’s were used. Have you got access to Freeman’s Mighty Eighth War Diaries? Also follow your nose in the link below.
http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii/usaf/html/
cheers Don
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December 9, 2005 at 12:55 am