Ernie Sierens, my cousin,
was from Mt. Clemens, Michigan and was assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group, 547th Squadron on June 28, 1943. The seven missions he flew as a 1st Lt. and Pilot were:

7/10/43 - Abbeville France; A/C Lost 0
7/14/43 - Villacoublay France; A/C Lost 1
7/24/43 - Herova Norway; A/C Lost 0
7/28/43 - Kassel Germany; A/C Lost 1
7/29/43 - Kiel Germany; A/C Lost 1
7/30/43 - Kassel Germany; A/C Lost 0
8/12/43 - Gelsenkirchen Germany; A/C Lost 5

His aircraft for the first six missions was the "Hell’s Belles II" but the aircraft was under repair on August 12, 1943, and Ernie’s 547th crew was assigned to B-17 "Merrie Hell", a 546th plane. On this seventh mission over Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the “Merrie Hell” was hit by flak at 20,000 feet, and the plane burst into flames. The nose of the plane was shot off all the way back to the top turret. All of the crew were KIA except Sgt's Ketterman (radio operator) and Brindley (tail gunner), whom I believe became POW's.

Other planes lost on 8/12/43 were:
42-3104, SD-A, No Name. Pilot: George B. Keck
42-3231, JD-M, “The Inferno”. Pilot: T. Carrington
42-5806, SO-Y, JD-Z, No Name. Pilot: Robert D. Swank
42-29686, SO-B, “Pie Eyed Piper”. Pilot: William H. Bigelow
42-30046, BK-H, “Merrie Hell”. Pilot: Ernest J. Sierens

Here is an excerpt from the combat report for the Gelsenkirchen mission:

Thursday, August 12, 1943 – Our Fortresses staged their first raid in some time, with a morning attack on the synthetic fuel plants at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Our losses were heavy, five planes failing to return. (25 Forts in all were missing from today’s 8th Air Force efforts against the enemy.) The group, led by Capt. Maurice S. Dillingham, 35, of Rochester, NY, met heavy opposition both from flak and enemy fighters but dropped its load on the target with unobserved results. Estimates of the number of German fighters sent up to meet the American formations ran as high as 300. (It was reported that our group experienced difficulty over the target when, due to mechanical difficulties, the lead ship was unable to release its bombs.)

“We were a busy bunch of boys for a while,” said Capt. Dillingham, who was piloting the Fortress, “The Joker.” “The fighters hit us about three minutes after we had made our turn. They came in droves.” Capt. Dillingham said he was unable to determine the results of the bombing due to haze and clouds over the target.

“It was a running fight for 80 minutes,” said 2nd Lt. Charles Everson, 21-year-old Louisville, KY, navigator, who was riding in an unnamed Fortress piloted by 1st Lt. Jorge Hausenfluck, 21, of Georgetown, TX. “The first hit us as we were coming into the Ruhr, attacking about 10 at a time, and there were still a few of them with us when we were over the channel on the way back.” Hausenfluck’s ship was badly crippled, the combined results of flak, 20mm explosives and 50-calibre bullets, but the crew managed to stave off the fighters with little damage to personnel. The tail gunner, S/Sgt. Raymond Gregari, had a bullet hole in the left shoulder, the other members of the crew returning untouched. Gregori’s tail compartment was virtually riddled.

The crew of one Flying Fortress, unable to keep up with its Gelsenkirchen-bound formation because of engine trouble, staged an unscheduled bombing attack on a German fighter base on the coast of Holland. The ship, the “Kathleen”, piloted by 2nd Lt. Robert L. Lecates, 21, of Hurlock, MD, pulled out of the formation after reaching Holland and headed towards its home field. Spotting the fighter base, the crew unloaded its incendiary bombs, setting installations afire. S/Sgt James R. Billingsley, 22, of Rushville, IL, the ball turret gunner, was in the best position to observe the bombs strike home. “I followed the bombs all the way down and saw them hit among the buildings along the runway,” he said. “Black smoke swirled up and flames broke through the smoke clouds.” (End excerpt)

THE CREW: (Click to see photo)
Pilot: 1st Lt. Ernest J. Sierens
Co-pilot: 2nd Lt. Joel M. Acker
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Spiridon J. Scoursi
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Allan M. Blosman
Radio operator: T/Sgt. Harry J. Ketterman
Engineer: T/Sgt Melvin H. Johnson
Ball turret gunner: S/Sgt. George A. Hunt
Tail gunner: S/Sgt. Louis D. Brindley
Waist gunner: S/Sgt Melvin E. Hanson
Waist gunner: S/Sgt Van G. Jones

Ernest Sierens was just 21 years old when he lost his life in the service of his country. We remember him here and honor him and his brave crew for their dedication, their service and for doing their part to secure freedom in the world.