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Shot down on the June 25, 1943 mission to Hamburg, Germany, aboard B-17F 42-30049 "Miss Deal" SU*F. The tailgunner that day was Al Westlake. This is the original crew list from March 1943:
2LT John R Way (P) KIA |
| Above verified with Gowen SO # 70, 11 MARCH 1943 |
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SEATED FRONT, L-Bill Harvey; SEATED 4TH FROM LEFT, John Way; FAR RIGHT, STANDING: Raymond Dodge; SEATED 2ND FROM R:Tom Corrigan; BESIDE CORRIGAN: William "Red" Feagin; IN FRONT OF FEAGIN, NEXT TO DRIVER: Bill McGeehan.
All others Unidentified. photos courtesy Louis Crawford On June 25, 1943, the Way crew took off to attack the sub pens at Hamburg, Germany. Co-Pilot Bill Harvey was ill and did not fly; his replacement was Stephen Fabian. The crew ran into heavy fog over the English Channel and became separated from the formation. As the plane approached the target, they were attacked by German fighters (190's, 109's, 210's). The plane was also hit by flak, causing 2 engines to catch fire. Ball Turret gunner Crawford was killed in his turret, and Feagin and Dodge were wounded. After bombs away, they were again attacked by fighters. The forward hatch was jammed shut, but Janson managed to get it open, then bailed out. The plane was then hit by flak again, knocking out a third engine and the interphone. Hill, Gadomski, and Fabian then bailed out. Westlake and Dodge were in the waist when the aircraft exploded, blowing them clear of the ship. Way, Feagin, and Crawford never left the plane. Dodge and Westlake landed in the Ems River. Westlake was capture by the Germans, but Dodge drowned, unable to free himself of his parachute. |
CENTER: Charles Crawford |
Al Westlake |