Sgt Wilbert Young Burns, belly gunner of the B-17 42-97385 “Shady Lady”, took off from station 131 in Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire, UK on a bombing mission over the oil infrastructure of Ludwigshafen. Before they were able to drop, their No.1 engine failed, drifting them out of their “tail-end charlie” position in formation. Then No.2 and 3 engines failed, prompting the crew to drop their payload in the vicinity of the target before turning for Nancy, the nearest front lines, all the while pleading for fighter support. Flying in heavy cloud with failing instruments, unexpected downdrafts, and the constant threat of fighter attack and further engine failure, both the bombardier and the engineer decided to bail out through the nose hatch. 40 minutes later a church steeple loomed in front of them, upside down. Frantically righting the plane the pilot immediately landed them in a Hollywood-worthy crash landing the crew barely felt. They were immediately captured but had the satisfaction of seeing the bomber destroyed from marauding Allied fighters. They were loaded into an open truck, guarded by five SS with two in the cab. At the pilot’s signal they tried to overthrow their guards. The tail gunner got a stream of bullets to the stomach; the pilot and Burns were cut down by fire from the cab, which also took out one of the SS; the co-pilot was blinded by stray rounds; the radioman and the navigator got rifle butts to the face. Their rebellion had failed.