B-17G Flying Fortress 'Wee-Willie' of 322nd Bomber Squadron of USAAF 91st Bomber Group losing a wing from flak fire over Stendal, Germany, 8 Apr 1945; 8 were killed; pilot and 1 crewman survived

Caption     B-17G Flying Fortress 'Wee-Willie' of 322nd Bomber Squadron of USAAF 91st Bomber Group losing a wing from flak fire over Stendal, Germany, 8 Apr 1945; 8 were killed; pilot and 1 crewman survived ww2dbase
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States National Archives
Identification Code   208-YE-142
More on...   
B-17 Flying Fortress   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Photos on Same Day 8 Apr 1945
Added By C. Peter Chen

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
9 Nov 2009 07:07:58 PM

"Wee Willie" a veteran of 127 missions with the 91st Bomb Gp. ,322nd Bomb Sqdn. lost on
her 128th mission.
Aircraft was hit by flak, and broke up in the
air. The pilot and tail gunner survived.
2. Luis Clarkson says:
9 Apr 2010 10:20:02 AM

This photo is incredible.
3. Anonymous says:
12 Jan 2011 08:34:10 AM

Pilot Andrew Loog was killed and buried in Belgium. He was in the 322nd Bomber Squadron, 94th Bomber.
If you know anything about him, please post.
4. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
16 Jan 2011 04:05:22 PM

Check with 322nd reports on the internet
322nd Bomb Squadron, 94st Bomb Group.

To Anonymous dated 12 Jan 2011
Or write to:
Military Personnel Records Center
Military Personnekl Reords
9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

If your next-of-kin to the deceased Veteran
vetrecs.archives.gov.

Best wishes,
Bill
5. daniel says:
15 Aug 2011 11:58:04 AM

Cant believe 2 crew managed to survive this
6. Gary Miller says:
6 Oct 2012 06:37:02 PM

Bill, I am just doing a little research on Wee Willie and found this string. just a note to sadly correct your comment in the #1 above. The tailgunner (my uncle) unfortunately did not survive the crash. My uncle was missing in action and no remains have ever been found. We hope one day with the new technologies available to us perhaps on day we will find something. For sure the pilot did survive. Sadly, there were no other survivors.

Yours,
Gary Miller
7. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
7 Oct 2012 12:37:46 PM

Dear Mr. Miller:

Thank you for your comment and correction for # 1, regarding B-17 Wee Willie.
My condolences to your family for the loss of your Uncle, who was the tailgunner.
During research on B-17 losses 8th Air Force this was the information available at that
time, that listed the pilot and tailgunner survived.
New technologies will one day help in the searching and identifying the Killed in Action and the Missing in Action of WWII who's remains have never been recovered.

I try to maintain Historical accuracy and list information to ww2db in identifying photographs only the corrections you have provided, and others who one day will use this site, can truly show the losses that families have suffered during WWII.

The photograph of "Wee Willie" is painful to your family, knowing that your Uncle was aboard her and didn't survive.
8. Karen Lien Fleener says:
25 Apr 2016 06:20:19 PM

My uncle, 2nd LT Woodrow A. Lien, was the co-pilot of the Wee Willie on it's last flight. He stood in for the original co-pilot, who was too sick to fly. That is the reason that he is not included in the pictures of the crew.
9. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
15 Oct 2016 02:49:45 PM

"WEE WILLIE"

B-17G-15-BO (42-31333) "Wee Willie" assigned to the 322nd BS, 91st BG. a/c took a direct hit by flak, no survivors
April 8, 1945 over Stendahl, Germany
10. John McNatt says:
1 Jun 2019 04:14:47 PM

Wylie McNatt was my grandfather's youngest brother.

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