History Corner - Battered Bomber
On the morning of October 15, 1944, the B-17G “Lovely Julie” of the 398th Bomb Group took part in a raid targeting Cologne, Germany. Immediately after releasing its bombs, the aircraft sustained a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire; an 88mm shell exploded in the nose section, killing Staff Sergeant George Abbott, the togglier, instantly and seriously wounding the navigator, 2nd Lieutenant Raymond LeDoux.
The force of the blast shredded the entire nose of the bomber, tore loose the instrument panel such that only the compass and altimeter were somewhat functional, and left the pilots, 1st Lieutenant Lawrence M. DeLancey and 1st Lieutenant Phillip Stahlman, battling sub-zero temperatures at altitude with their boots partly exposed to the elements. Communication systems were knocked out and oxygen lines were severed, forcing the crew to rapidly descend to lower altitudes just to breathe.
Damage to the ‘Lovely Julie’ B-17G bomber
With the navigator’s equipment and maps destroyed, LeDoux, after recovering somewhat from his initial injury, stood between the pilots on the flight deck giving them headings from memory using visual landmarks to steer the battered aircraft home. As they limped over Belgium, a pair of friendly P-51s provided escort for the final leg across the Channel.
Approaching Nuthampstead, the pilots managed to lower the landing gear, only for hydraulic fluid to spray across the cockpit, confirming their suspicion that they would land without brakes or instruments. DeLancey, peering around wreckage blocking his view, executed a “by guess and feel” landing, bringing “Lovely Julie” safely to a stop just beyond the runway’s end in the mud.
Every crew member, except Abbott, survived the ordeal: LeDoux’s navigation and DeLancey’s flying earned official commendations both for heroism and skill under extreme pressure. The aircraft’s battered nose became the subject of iconic wartime photographs, a testament not just to the ruggedness of the B-17 but also to the extraordinary resolve and teamwork of its crew.
The crew on that day:
- 1st Lt. Lawrence M. DeLancey, Pilot
- 1st Lt. Phillip H. Stahlman, Co-Pilot
- 2nd Lt. Raymond J. LeDoux, Navigator
- S/Sgt. George E. Abbott, Togglier, KIA
- T/Sgt. Benjamin H. Ruckel, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- T/Sgt. Wendell A. Reed, Radio Operator, Gunner
- T/Sgt. Russell A. Lachman, Waist Gunner
- S/Sgt. Albert Albro, Ball Turret Gunner
- S/Sgt. Herbert D. Guild, Tail Gunner
Adapted from https://www.facebook.com/cafairbasearizona. h/t to Sharon Underwood for link.