Back Row (viewer's left to right):

  1. Sgt. Russel O. Dick, Waist Gunner
  2. Sgt. Nelson R. Beyer, Engineer / TT
  3. Sgt. Leonard P. Mills, Tail Gunner
  4. Sgt. Island B. Brown, Ball Turret
  5. Sgt. Charles F. Spear, Jr., Radio Op

Front Row (viewer's left to right):

  1. 2nd Lt. James R. Mitchell, Pilot
  2. F/O Claude Wilson, Co-Pilot
  3. 2nd Lt. Byron R. Hughes, Jr., Navigator
  4. 2nd Lt. Evart M. Veech, Bombardier

Notes:

  1. On the 398th's January 20, 1945 mission to Mannheim, 2nd Lt. Henry Skubik, an experienced co-pilot with the Marias Crew, flew with new pilot 2nd Lt. James R. Mitchell. This was Lt. Mitchell’s first, and last, mission. According to MACR 11797, their B-17-G, 43-37889 3O-B (nicknamed The Black Widow), was hit by flak near the target. Lt. Mitchell stayed at the controls, refusing to leave even at Henry’s insistence. Believing he had finally convinced the pilot to leave, Henry bailed out, assuming Mitchell had followed. Sadly, he did not and Mitchell went down with the plane, crashing in Mechtersheim, Germany. It is believed he waited too long to jump and became trapped in the plane. The rest of the crew bailed out but were captured and sent to POW camps, except for Sgt. Nelson R. Beyer the flight engineer. He did not survive the jump.

Comments:

  1. Photo Date: Probably late 1944 / January 1945
  2. Photo Location: Probably Nuthampstead
  3. Photo Reference: MitchellCrew
  4. Information compiled by the 398th BGMA web team with thanks to Erik Wieman for supplying the photograph and ID's. Erik is a member of the Heimatforschung Rheinland-Palatinate Research Group.
    Click here to learn about this group's research, which ultimately resulted in a monument erected to the Mitchell Crew.
  5. If you would like to add information about this photograph, or can provide a better scan, please contact our Crew Photos Coordinator. Please mention the title and photograph date.