Memorial

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The formation on the bombing run plane no. 319 was flying no. 2 position. Going through the heavy flak, I was busy calling it to the crew of plane no. 342. Sat down on the navigator´s table to get my breath back. I glanced through the right window in the nose and saw plane no. 319 in no. five position where ´Smokey´, no. 406 was flying. Kept an eye on it and saw pieces of flak on the right side of the fuselage fall in all directions. At this time the plane went down into a steep bank and went straight down. From here I couldn´t keep track of it.

Statement by 2nd Lt Charles F. Gracz.
Aircraft 42-52319 was struck by flak while on a mission to Vienna, on 17 March 1944 and as a result, collided with B-24, 42-52406. Both aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Vienna with the entire crew (11) of 42-52319 and nine of the crew of ten, of the other aircraft, reported as casualties.