1st Lt Louis L. Haltom, pilot of the B-17 42-29767 “Boothill”, took off from Bristol, UK at 0830 on a bombing mission to the prisoner transit point at the Lorient train station. However, their ball turret went out of commission on the way over due to its oxygen valve freezing open after refilling the oxygen bottle. While the bombing results were good, the plane was hit during its bombing run by flak at 1205. No 3 engine was hit, then No 2. It poured smoke and oil onto the fuselage. Then the stabilizers were hit and they fell out of formation. Joining the following Bomb Group, they flew back over Brest, slowing to 150mph in order to stay together. But Fw-190 fighters came out and harassed them, poking more holes in the fuselage and killing their tail gunner. Dropping out of formation, Haltom ordered the crew to bail out at 1230, about 6 km NW of Spezet. He jumped at 12000 feet, watching the plane crash, its tail section breaking off in midair. Two fighters circled him but did not fire. Once on the ground, Haltom linked up with Sgt Martin. An excited crowd of Frenchmen gave them food, clothing, and hasty directions. They were intercepted by a boy who hid them in a wood, but they were subsequently moved by his family members, as the latter said he worked for the Germans. Later that night, they linked up with Sgts Loudenslager, Marshall, and Wells, and Haltom escaped through the Bourblanc/Bourgogne/Pyrenees route. He returned to the UK on August 21st, 1943. His full E&E report can be read at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-76.pdf.