42-37741
Crashes > of the USAAF
The B17 G 42-37741 was on its way back from the bombing raid on Frankfurt. At Siegburg, it was fired upon by several anti-aircraft units, caught fire and crashed into the industrial halls of the company Hochspannungsgesellschaft GmbH Fischer & CO at Höninger Weg 115 in Cologne-Zollstock.
The buildings were extensively damaged and some of them burnt out. According to the police report, one civilian was killed.
Two crew members were only recovered dead from the wreckage of the aircraft. The navigator Robert Pickering jumped with the parachute, but it did not open, he hit the ground and was fatally injured. All three were buried in the Westfriedhof Cemetery in Cologne, the remaining seven crew members, some wounded, were taken prisoner by the Germans.
The MACR's statement that the crash occurred at Winterscheid is not correct. This was B-17 42-29713, which was shot down by flak and crashed near Winterscheid on the same day. All crew members were able to save themselves by parachuting.
above:
the target path map of the anti-aircraft gun for shooting down the B-17 42-37741
left:
the launch report of the anti-aircraft unit 5th/666
top right:
the pilot of the B-17, 2nd Lt. Clyde Raymond Baily
top left:
2nd Lt. Robert F. Pickering, KIA
left:
S/Sgt Walter Stanley Dozkuse KIA
bottom left:
S/Sgt William Edward Hall, KIA