MACR PILOT: 1Lt William L. Greiner O-748399
MACR #: 07815
Fiche #: 02862
Organization
Location: AAF Station #139
Group: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
Squadron: 351st BS
Command: VIII AF
Detachment:
Detail
Departure/Base: AAF Station #139
Initial Course: E
Intended Destination: Merseburg
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: 6 - 8/10 Clouds
Give
Date: July 29, 1944
Time: 11:55
Location: 5350N - 0800E
Specify: Last Sighted
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Enemy aircraft
Other reason for loss:
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: SW-009056
B: SW-008749
C: SW-009691
D: 43-64595
Weapons
A: 953000
B: 952605
C: 158499
D: 158284
E: 717345
F: 158284
G: 952766
H: 158323
I: 744571
J: 717245
L: 158605 (m) 869179
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 10
Pass: 0
Total: 10
Personnel
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | |||
| P2 | William L. Greiner | 1Lt | O-748399 |
| CP | James D. Coccia | 2Lt | O-817161 |
| NAV (N) | Robert D. Fulkerson | 2Lt | O-713164 |
| BOM (B) | Robert E. Marsho | 2Lt | O-757002 |
| RAD | Harry E. Whitford | SSgt | 11093258 |
| ENG | John R. Vuchetich | SSgt | 36815360 |
| BAL | Frank Madrid | SSgt | 18122048 |
| WG (W) | Bernard V. Baumgarten | sf | 32930626 |
| WG (W) | |||
| TG (T) | Harry G. Feldkamp | Sgt | 35799789 |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Parachutes were used
Other:
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| "A/C #007 was observed to have one engine smoking as it went over the target. It dropped back and took over the lead of the second element of the low squadron and gradually lagged further behind. This A/C was later seen over Wesermunde by a flight of P-38's from Station 337, 479th Fighter Group. A jet propelled E/A was attacking but was driven off by the P-38's. The B-17 was escorted until it reached the Frisian Islands where the P-38's were forced to return to England due to low fuel state. When last seen all engines were operating and the aircraft was headed home at 10,000 feet." | ||
| No Data | The A/C ditched in the North sea a few miles off the island of Ameland and all save Baumgarten made it to shore in the rafts. They were immediately taken prisoner. Sgt. Baumgarten had been badly injured by flak (Left leg nearly torn off & wounds in abdomen) and was unconscious in radio room when plane ditched. Attempts by Sgt, Vuchetich & another to get him to a raft were not successful. Ship stayed afloat only about 30/45 seconds. This was the 2nd mission for the Coccia crew. In a letter to Mike Faley in 2001 Robert Fulkerson writes: "I was the navigator on the James Coccia's crew in the 351st Squadron, 100th Bomb Group and arrived at Thorpe Abbotts on July 17, 1944. July 24 & 25 I flew as a replacement Navigator with the EJ Simmons Crew on the two St Lo Missions. July 28 & 29th, Coccia's crew flew on the Merseburg Missions. William Greiner, whose crew finished all their missions, flew with Coccia's crew on the July 29th Mission to "help break them in" and to fly his "last mission". On the July 29th mission, my fourth mission, as a result of losing one engine over the target, subsequent loss of a second engine by more flak and a brief encounter wiht a ME 262 German Jet fighter, our crew ditched our B-17 "SheHasta" in the North Sea. After four days at sea, having been spurned by a Danish ship on our second day at sea, we landed on Ameland, one of the Frisian Islands North of Holland. We were captured by the Germans as we landed on the beach." |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: WALTER G. BURKE 1st Lt. Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: August 1, 1944
