544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group B17f 42-30048 SU-K F/O. Wheat

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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945
Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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26.06.1943 No. 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group B17f 42-30048 SU-K F/O. Wheat

Operation: Villacoulbay, France

Date: June 26th 1943

Unit: No. 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group

Type: B17F Flying Fortress

Serial: 42-30048 "Flak Dancer"

Code: SU-K

Base: Grafton Underwood

Location: Forced landed at Laon airfield in France.

Pilot: F/O Delton G. Wheat O-515818 USAAF Age 22. PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Bellaria

Co-Pilot: Lt. Donald G. McMullen O-675097 USAAF PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Bellaria

TT/Eng: T/Sgt. George A. Bossinger O-33365644 USAAF Evaded

Nav: Lt. Thomas L. Ketcham O-670133 USAAF PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang

Air/Bmr: Lt. Robert J. Brown O-734419 USAAF PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Bankau (Bakow, Poland)

Radio/Op/Gnr: S/Sgt. Theodore W. Finck O-35433828 USAAF Age 26. PoW Camp: Stalag Gneizendorf

BallT/Gnr: S/Sgt. John J. Katuzney O-31143855 USAAF Age 22. PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Bellaria

LW/Gnr: S/Sgt. Ralph C. Wood O-35367816 USAAF PoW Camp: Stalag Gneizendorf

RW/Gnr: S/Sgt. Warren L. Pursch O-38157209 USAAF Age 25. PoW Camp: Stalag Gneizendorf

Tail/Gnr: S/Sgt. Dero Hurst O-18126300 USAAF Age 23. PoW Camp: Stalag Gneizendorf

REASON FOR LOSS:

Attacked by enemy aircraft; crash landed near Laon, France. No MACR. This aircraft was repaired and flown by the Luftwaffe KG200 Coded A3+EE (Also used A3+BB).

Above: S/Sgt. Theodore W. Finck

Burial details:

None - all survived.

Researched by Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered November 2017. Photographs from Michel Beckers collection.

MB 17.11.2015

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Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.

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