Date: 1943 Dec 16/16			A/C Type: B-17G  Fortress		SN: 42-31113		Code: OJ-		A/C Nickname:  Zilch
File: 783		Airforce: USAAF		Sqn/Unit: 96 BG - 339 BS			Mission/Raid: Bremen Port area (Vegesack)
1	Pilot	Captain Harold R. Mott                 all 10 crew MIA					9	RWG	S/Sgt. Andrew R. Nichols
2	Co-pilot	2Lt. Harry E. Creutzman					10	TG	S/Sgt. Warren M. Sturdevant
3	Nav.	2Lt. Thomas B. Blackwell					11
4	B	2Lt. Angus D. Stewart					12
5	E	T/Sgt. Floyd W. Gauss					13
6	RO	T/Sgt. John Mancina					14
7	BTG	S/Sgt. Paul J. Santillan					15
8	LWG	S/Sgt. Leonard M. Branam					16
Came back from a raid on Bremen. West of Texel Island collided with Lt. Kerrick's 42-30872, wings entangled and crashed in the North Sea due west of Texel (3km west). 10 MIA.

96BG site: "Fighter attacks on the B-group were much more intense. Five B-17 went down in short order. Fifteen FW-190 came from the sun and scattered B-group momentarily like a gaggle of hysterical geese. Suddenly there was another collision. This one was witnessed by Lt. Jim Attaway who was flying lead in the high squadron. Below him enemy fighters literally shot an engine off Captain Mott's 42-31113. Having being severed from the wing, Mott's engine plunged down onto the wing of 1Lt. Lewis Kerrick's 42-30872 'Blond Bomber' of the 337BS. Blond Bomber ascended sharply. On the other hand Mott's plane descended. Both planes tangled wings and plunged into the sea. 20 MIA".

"A witness fixed the position of colliding 42-3265 Holy Mackeral! and Schroeder's 42-30860 on 53°03' N - 04°40' E".

ZZAW: it is since then established that collision between 42-3265 and Schroeder's 42-30860 was further east over the Wadden Sea, west of Harlingen. Therefore the second collision (on the above position) involved Lt. Kerrick and Captain Mott.














































































Sources: 

- MACR of all B-17 lost on 16 December 1943
- website 96BG
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