| Original caption: “The first big raid by the 8th Air Force was on a Focke-Wulf plant at Marienburg. Coming back, the Germans were up in full force and we lost at least eighty ships-eight hundred men, many of them pals.” Douglas-Long Beach built Boeing B-17F-50-DL Flying Fortress serial number 42-3352 “Virgin’s Delight,” 410th Bomb Squadron, 90-Forth Bomb Group, over the Focke-Wulf plant near Marienburg, Germany, on October 9, 1943. This classic precision bombing featured an attack by 100 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, of which 96 completed the mission, between 1253-1302 hours on the Focke-Wulf plant at Marienburg. The results of the raid included 2 assembly buildings gutted; another damaged; hangars gutted; stores and buildings and boiler house destroyed; other buildings damaged. The United States Army Air Force (USAAF) lost 2 B-17s over the target. 13 were damaged. The Americans claimed 9 Nazi German aircraft and 2 probables. 3 Americans were wounded in action and 21 were missing in action. 42-3352 “Virgin’s Delight” was delivered by Douglas to Denver on May 15, 1943. Stopped at Dow Field, Maine, on July 7, 1943, on the way to RAF Rougham, 3 miles under 5 kilometers) east of Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk, England, where it was assigned to the 410th Bomb Squadron, 90-Forth Bomb Group. On November 29, 1943, “Virgin’s Delight” was missing in action. Over Bremen an artillery shell piercing an engine making a large hole, where fuel leaked out. They turned back to England and at treetop level made it to the English Channel. They ditched into the North Sea northwest of the German island of Borkum after contacting Air/Sea Rescue. All crew members were alive at this point, and got into 2 life rafts. However, a heavy fog covered them, and although they could hear the rescue aircraft they were not found. By next morning only the 2 pilots and bombardier were alive but near death from exposure. Ultimately, Pilot 2nd Lieutenant Walter Chyle (December 9, 1918 – March 8, 1995), was the lone survivor. He was eventually found, healed, and a Prisoner of War. Co-Pilot 2nd Lieutenant Robert G. Foster (June 8, 1921 – November 29, 1943); Navigator 2nd Lieutenant Burgess Overbey (May 1, 1921 – November 29, 1943); Bombardier 2nd Lieutenant Peter P. Maximowicz (June 19, 1920 – November 29, 1943); Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Staff Sergeant Herbert S. Owens (March 17, 1924 – November 29, 1943); Radio Operator Staff Sergeant Delmar L. Best (April 27, 1944 – December 1, 1943); Ball Turret Gunner Sergeant Buford N. Edwards (February 9, 1920 – November 29, 1943); Waist Gunner Staff Sergeant Vincent V. Osadchy (January 7, 1920 – November 29, 1943); Waist Gunner Sergeant William D. Ross (1914 – November 29, 1943); Tail Gunner Floyd L. Frye (September 21, 1905 – November 29, 1943) were Missing in Action, Presumed Dead. The dead are memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2148.jpg |
| Image Size | 721.49 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2417 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Office of War Information |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 9, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | Marienburg |
| State or Province | Prussia |
| Country | Germany |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-208-YE-7 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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