Report of Whitney Simon,  survivor from the crash of B-17 "Patches"

On 17 august 1943 - also called "Black thursday"- we received an assigment to bomb a  factory in Schweinfurt.  Underway to the target we did not encountered any German hunters,  but the anti-aircraft defense was worse then before.

From as soon as or bombs hit the targets, our pilot, Douglas Mutschler (KIA), turned the plane direct  heading to base. But it was to late, we were hit by the anti-aircraft guns.

One engine was defect immidiate,  we all knew what that ment.  In the meantime the germans hunters from the JG-26-7 division,  under command of Adolf Gluntz, arrived.  Our flying fortress had no chance anymore.

The FW-190 planes shot another 2 engines out,  the hunters kept in our vacavinty, untill they were sure that we would crash. We all made us ready to jump out the plane.

Then "Patches" start spinning, and the next thing i  remeber is that i'm making a free fall heading down.

I though i was dead, and this was my one way ticket to hell.  Fortuanly I acchieved to open my parachute and was able to land safe.  The Germans did not have to much trouble to capture me,  togheter with Buckley, Baker, Luce and Bagwell.

We were taken immideatly to a Belgian prison.  Quinlivan and Grundman were to much injoured and taken to the hospital in the vacainty.

Eventuelly we were taken to Stalag 17B, were we spend 18 months in prison. After that we had to marsh a horrible 280 miles, to get libirated by Pattons 3th division.

Whitney Simon.

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