B-17F-85-BO 'Miss Deal', 42-30049

Lost on June 25, 1943

LT John R. Way crew 5 - 544th BS
"Miss Deal" #42-30049
(Seated front) L-Bill Harvey ; (Far right, standing) Raymond Dodge U ; (Seated 2nd from right) Tom Corrigan ;
(Beside Corrigan) William "Red" Feagin U ; (In front of Feagin, next to driver) Bill McGeehan ; all others Unidentified.

2nd Lt. John R. Way U pilot of 42-30049 "Miss Deal" standing with his mother

2nd Lt. Tom Corrigan, bombardier, standing in front of 42-30049 "Miss Deal"

(Center) Charles E. Crawford U

Sgt. Al Westlake

[All photos courtesy from Tony Crawford ]

On June 25, 1943, the Way crew took off to attack the sub pens at Hamburg, Germany.
Co-Pilot Bill Harvey was ill and did not fly ; his replacement was Stephen Fabian.
The crew ran into heavy fog over the English Channel and became separated. As the plane approached the target, they were attacked by German fighters (190's, 109's, 210's). The plane was also hit by flak, causing 2 engines to catch fire. Ball Turret gunner Crawford was killed in his turret, and Feagin and Dodge were wounded. After "bombs away," they were again attacked by fighters. Jansen became hysterical and jumped out. They were then hit by flak again, knocking out a third engine and the interphone. Hill, Gadomski, and Fabian then bailed out. Westlake and Dodge were in the waist when the aircraft exploded, blowing them clear of the ship. Way, Feagin, and Crawford never left the plane.
Dodge and Westlake landed in the Ems River.
Westlake was capture by the Germans, but Dodge drowned, unable to free himdelf of his parachute.

German Red Cross Emden, June 8, 1955
Emden District

Dear Ms. Crawford,

In my letter from June 2, 1955, I wrote that a Dutch fisherman had tried to lift the wreckage and that I had written the mayor of Rheiderwoldersiel and asked him for information.

Today I received a reply from him, written in Dutch. I had the Dutch Consulate translate it and have attached the translation.

As you can see in the letter, the wreckage is still located in the Dollart and has not been raised.

I'll continue my research in this matter. The mayor wrote that on July 7, 1943 the body of a pilot was found by a fisherman named Imko Bakker. I also have a letter from the IKRK in Geneva, dated January 13, 1955, which states that the body of Raymond E. Dodge was found on August 26, 1943. Provided these dates are correct, two bodies must have been found. It remains to be determined the whereabouts and identity of the body found on July 7, 1943. But because this deceased had jumped also jumped with a parachute, he cannot be your brother.

As mentioned before, I am glad to continue my investigations into this matter and will keep you informed of any developments.

Best regards,

Adolf Siefkes

Translation

Town Council of Finsterwolde

Finsterwolde, June 2, 1955

Number 964
Regarding: Information about American pilots

To German Red Cross In Emden
Reply to the letter from May 31, 1955

Regarding you letter from May 31, 1955, I hereby inform you that the fisherman Tammo Kuiper, who lives in my community, confirmed that during the war years an American aircraft, a Boeing, crashed in the Dollart within Dutch territory. For a fairly long time afterwards, the crash site was still visible. In the meanwhile everything has sunk into the earth, but Kuiper would still be able to pin-point the area where the remains of the aircraft wreckage must be buried. The aircraft has not been raised or taken away.

The fisherman Imko Bakker, who lives here as well, who casts his nets in the vicinity of the place where the airplane crashed, found a body on July 7, 1943. The pilot's parachute had tangled in one of the fisherman's net posts. Bakker asked his collegues in Nieuw-Statenzijl, where German troops were stationed at the time, to take the body and turn it over to those troops. Presumably, this was the body of the man who was taken from the water and buried in Wittmund.

Since the wreckage of the aircraft has not been raised, we can say with certainty that the eighth crew member, the man who according to your letter was wounded, must have disappeared together with the airplane into the grounds of the Dollart.

I deem it appropriate to communicate this to the victim's mother.

In case I can be of service in some way or another, I stand ready.

Most sincerely,

The Mayor of Finsterwolde

Signed H. Tuin

serial number

plane type / name

squadron

code

reason

mission lost on

pilot / crew

42-30049

Boeing B-17F-85-BO "Miss Deal"

384 BG 544 BS

SU*G

fighters

Wangerooge lsland

Crash Location
the wreck was found by Dutch
fishermen in Dollart bay on July 7, 1943.

2LT John R Way P KIA,
2LT Stephen Fabian CP POW,
2LT Robert Jansen N POW,
2LT Thomas J Corrigan B POW,
SSGT William Raymond Feagin WG KIA,
SSGT William C Hill Jr G POW,
SSGT Charles E. Crawford BT KIA,
SSGT Edmund S Gadomski RO POW,
SGT Al Westlake TG POW,
SSGT Raymond E Dodge WG KIA,
4 KIA, 6 POW,
MACR 16349

German Red Cross Emden, June 8, 1955 Emden District Dear Ms. Crawford, In my letter from June 2, 1955, I wrote that a Dutch fisherman had tried to lift the wreckage and that I had written the mayor of Rheiderwoldersiel and asked him for information. Today I received a reply from him, written in Dutch. I had the Dutch Consulate translate it and have attached the translation. As you can see in the letter, the wreckage is still located in the Dollart and has not been raised. I'll continue my research in this matter. The mayor wrote that on July 7, 1943 the body of a pilot was found by a fisherman named Imko Bakker. I also have a letter from the IKRK in Geneva, dated January 13, 1955, which states that the body of Raymond E. Dodge was found on August 26, 1943. Provided these dates are correct, two bodies must have been found. It remains to be determined the whereabouts and identity of the body found on July 7, 1943. But because this deceased had jumped also jumped with a parachute, he cannot be your brother. As mentioned before, I am glad to continue my investigations into this matter and will keep you informed of any developments. Best regards, Adolf Siefkes
Translation Town Council of Finsterwolde Finsterwolde, June 2, 1955 Number 964 Regarding: Information about American pilots To German Red Cross In Emden Reply to the letter from May 31, 1955 Regarding you letter from May 31, 1955, I hereby inform you that the fisherman Tammo Kuiper, who lives in my community, confirmed that during the war years an American aircraft, a Boeing, crashed in the Dollart within Dutch territory. For a fairly long time afterwards, the crash site was still visible. In the meanwhile everything has sunk into the earth, but Kuiper would still be able to pin-point the area where the remains of the aircraft wreckage must be buried. The aircraft has not been raised or taken away. The fisherman Imko Bakker, who lives here as well, who casts his nets in the vicinity of the place where the airplane crashed, found a body on July 7, 1943. The pilot's parachute had tangled in one of the fisherman's net posts. Bakker asked his collegues in Nieuw-Statenzijl, where German troops were stationed at the time, to take the body and turn it over to those troops. Presumably, this was the body of the man who was taken from the water and buried in Wittmund. Since the wreckage of the aircraft has not been raised, we can say with certainty that the eighth crew member, the man who according to your letter was wounded, must have disappeared together with the airplane into the grounds of the Dollart. I deem it appropriate to communicate this to the victim's mother. In case I can be of service in some way or another, I stand ready. Most sincerely, The Mayor of Finsterwolde Signed H. Tuin

serial number	plane type / name	squadron	code	reason	mission lost on	pilot / crew
42-30049	Boeing B-17F-85-BO "Miss Deal"	384 BG 544 BS	SU*G	fighters	Wangerooge lsland Crash Location the wreck was found by Dutch fishermen in Dollart bay on July 7, 1943.	2LT John R Way P KIA, 2LT Stephen Fabian CP POW, 2LT Robert Jansen N POW, 2LT Thomas J Corrigan B POW, SSGT William Raymond Feagin WG KIA, SSGT William C Hill Jr G POW, SSGT Charles E. Crawford BT KIA, SSGT Edmund S Gadomski RO POW, SGT Al Westlake TG POW, SSGT Raymond E Dodge WG KIA, 4 KIA, 6 POW, MACR 16349