As the Second World War approached its conclusion, the Allies intensified their strategic bombing efforts against Germany to destroy its industrial capabilities and diminish civilian morale. On April 8, 1945, the US Army Air Forces’ Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, dubbed Wee Willie, faced catastrophe during one of these operations. The bomber was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire, and the resulting chaos was vividly captured in a powerful series of photographs.
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Wee Willie
Wee Willie – B-17G-15-B0, serial number 42-31333 – marked the 302nd B-17G Flying Fortress to roll off the assembly line at Boeing Airplane Company’s Plant 2 in Seattle, Washington. The heavy bomber was delivered to the US Army Air Forces in Cheyenne, Wyoming in October 1943, before being transported to RAF Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
Upon reaching the UK, Wee Willie was assigned to the 322nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force.
At the time of its loss, the bomber was the longest-serving aircraft within the 91st and was one of the very last to be lost to enemy action before the German surrender.
Preparing to bomb German railroad facilities
On April 8, 1945, the B-17G Wee Willie departed from Air Force Station 121 at RAF Bassingbourn on what is recorded as its 128th or 129th mission, according to varying accounts. The mission was led by 1st Lt. Robert E. Fuller of the US Army Air Forces (USAAF), who was joined by combat crew members Sgt. Le Moyne Miller, 2nd Lt. Woodrow A. Lien, Staff Sgt. James D. Houtchens, Tech. Sgt. Francis J. McCarthy, Staff Sgt. Ralf J. Leffelman, Staff Sgt. Wylie McNatt Jr., and Staff Sgt. William H. Cassiday.
As part of the 332nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), they were included in a group of 73 bombers assigned to target the repair facilities at the railroad marshaling yards in Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Despite the overcast weather, the crew utilized H2S ground search radar to locate their targets while navigating through moderate anti-aircraft fire from below.
Downing of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Wee Willie
During the mission, German anti-aircraft fire caused minor damage to 13 Allied bombers and inflicted significant damage on four others. Out of the 73 aircraft involved, only two were completely lost, one of them being the B-17G Wee Willie. Wee Willie took a direct hit from an 88 mm flak shell between its #2 engine and bomb bay, causing it to plummet vertically.
An eyewitness described the scene: “The fuselage was on fire and when it had dropped approximately 5,000 feet [1,524 meters] the left wing fell off. It continued down and when the fuselage was about 3,000 feet [914.4 meters] from the ground it exploded and then exploded again when it hit the ground.”
Wee Willie had a crew of nine, with Lt. Fuller as the sole survivor. It was reported that he was thrown from the cockpit by the initial explosion, deployed his parachute, and landed safely. Unfortunately, he was captured by German forces shortly after landing, and his later fate remains unknown.
The entire event was captured on film by an automatic strike camera mounted on another B-17, which recorded from the release of the first bombs until the camera’s film ran out.
Loss of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Times A-Wastin’
During the air raid, the second bomber lost was the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress named Times A-Wastin’, a B-17G-50-B0 with the serial number 42-102504. It was part of the 401st Bombardment Group (Heavy) and was flown by Lt. Peter Pastras.
Lt. Mike Fodroci, a navigator on another B-17, witnessed the aircraft’s destruction. Fodroci reported that Times A-Wastin’ was hit by German flak in its exposed bomb bay, which likely resulted in Pastras’s immediate death.
“The ship pulled up and veered to the right, climbing directly over our ship,” he recalled. “Captain Shelby put our ship into a dive so steep that I was thrown up against the astro hatch of the ceiling of the nose – seems I hung there for a brief second or two. I also observed that a bad fire was burning on the aircraft’s forward bomb bay area and that the co-pilot was trying to climb out of the small window with his back pack on. Somehow, we saw three chutes emerge from #504 as she spun toward the earth.”
Out of those on board Times A-Wastin’, only two survived. Radio operator Bob A. Smith and flight engineer/top turret gunner Lyle Jones were captured by the Germans and shared a fate similar to Lt. Fuller’s, becoming prisoners of war (POWs).
Despite the loss of two bombers, the mission was deemed a success
Despite the loss of the B-17Gs Wee Willie and Times A-Wastin’ during the Stendal raid, the mission was a success. As reported by the 322nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), the bombs successfully hit their intended targets at the railroad marshaling yards.
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The April photos have immortalized the memory of Wee Willie. To many people, the depiction of the B-17G with its left wing severed still stands as among the most remarkable images from World War II, illustrating the danger Allied soldiers faced as they battled for victory against Germany.