B-17 "Moonbeam"
The airplane in which Don Williamson Moore lost his life.

Told by Theresa: "It is August 27, 1943 the time is 1927 or 7:27 pm the 305th Bomber Group is just coming out of a bombing raid on Watton France and they are surrounded with flack. The B-17 “Moonbeam” is riding “tail end Charlie”. First, Joe Kosmicky, the belly gunner, is killed with a direct hit to the turret. The next burst took off the tip of the left wing and then came the bad one. It went into the bottom of the left inboard engine and burst before it came out of the top. The #2 engine caught fire and Bob Coffman, the co-pilot, looks outside to see the fire melting the aluminum covering right off the wing. The fire and flames were streaming clear back past the tail. Don Moore, the pilot, calls for his men to bail out. As the crew bails out Bob Coffman finds bullet holes in his parachute, Don Moore gives Bob his parachute expecting to use the backup for himself. After Bob bails out the left wing fell off putting the plane in a spin, with the pressure created in a spin Don Moore went down with the plane."

Son of Grace Nell (Williamson) & William Jasper Moore.
Husband of Doris Marie Troutner.

This picture was given to Theresa Platt, by Chris Coffman, and Theresa shared it with us.

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