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Crash of "Miss Liberty"
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12 Sep 1944 Crash Landing of 360th BS B-17G 42-31340 Miss Liberty PU-D

Pilot Lt. Arnold P. Moselle lost two engines from the fighter attacks northeast of Berlin. The Fortress flew the entire width of Germany and over occupied countries, without escort, at a 105 mph indicated air speed. Miss Liberty was on her 93rd mission and ran into flak from an enemy battery at Boulogne where a third engine was lost. It crash landed with one engine operating at Hucqueliers, France, under very difficult conditions. Bombardier, Lt. Rufe H. Parrilla, who was flying on his final mission, was seriously wounded during the crash landing. He was left in a Canadian hospital in the Pas de Calais area. He died on 15 September, three days after he was injured.

[photo courtesy of Jean Pierre Duriez]