Sergeant Harper was the Radio Operator on B-17 (serial #4344) that took off on a mission to Lorient, Occupied France, on 21 October 1942. The mission encountered adverse weather disturbances, and many of the planes were forced to turn back. However, the formation that ship #4344 was in continued onto the briefed target.
Upon arrival over the target, the formation was met by heavy fighter opposition and heroic performances by the cerw concerned was responsible in accounting for shooting down two of the fighters. There is no specific information as to the cause of the crew of #4344 not returning. Sergeant Harper was not the regular Radio Operator with this crew...he was taking the place of the normal Radio Operator who was in the hospital at the time.
Lt. Robert Jackson was the Navigator on #4344, survived the incident and became a prisoner of war. Jackson was thrown from the plane in an unconcious state and had no memory of the incident. He told the Air Corps after the war that Harper's body had not been identified at the time of the incident, and was buried in a grave at Morlaix, France.
Upon arrival over the target, the formation was met by heavy fighter opposition and heroic performances by the cerw concerned was responsible in accounting for shooting down two of the fighters. There is no specific information as to the cause of the crew of #4344 not returning. Sergeant Harper was not the regular Radio Operator with this crew...he was taking the place of the normal Radio Operator who was in the hospital at the time.
Lt. Robert Jackson was the Navigator on #4344, survived the incident and became a prisoner of war. Jackson was thrown from the plane in an unconcious state and had no memory of the incident. He told the Air Corps after the war that Harper's body had not been identified at the time of the incident, and was buried in a grave at Morlaix, France.
Sergeant Harper was the Radio Operator on B-17 (serial #4344) that took off on a mission to Lorient, Occupied France, on 21 October 1942. The mission encountered adverse weather disturbances, and many of the planes were forced to turn back. However, the formation that ship #4344 was in continued onto the briefed target.
Upon arrival over the target, the formation was met by heavy fighter opposition and heroic performances by the cerw concerned was responsible in accounting for shooting down two of the fighters. There is no specific information as to the cause of the crew of #4344 not returning. Sergeant Harper was not the regular Radio Operator with this crew...he was taking the place of the normal Radio Operator who was in the hospital at the time.
Lt. Robert Jackson was the Navigator on #4344, survived the incident and became a prisoner of war. Jackson was thrown from the plane in an unconcious state and had no memory of the incident. He told the Air Corps after the war that Harper's body had not been identified at the time of the incident, and was buried in a grave at Morlaix, France.
Upon arrival over the target, the formation was met by heavy fighter opposition and heroic performances by the cerw concerned was responsible in accounting for shooting down two of the fighters. There is no specific information as to the cause of the crew of #4344 not returning. Sergeant Harper was not the regular Radio Operator with this crew...he was taking the place of the normal Radio Operator who was in the hospital at the time.
Lt. Robert Jackson was the Navigator on #4344, survived the incident and became a prisoner of war. Jackson was thrown from the plane in an unconcious state and had no memory of the incident. He told the Air Corps after the war that Harper's body had not been identified at the time of the incident, and was buried in a grave at Morlaix, France.
Inscription
Sgt. U.S. Army Air Corps Killed in action over France
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