SSgt Herman B. Krimminger, tail gunner of the B-17 42-97904 “Lady Jeannette”, took off on a bombing mission over Saarbrucken’s marshalling yards. However, heavy AA fire crippled the plane moments before bombs away, destroying three engines and sending flames from the fourth into the tail section. Further shots to the cockpit ignited flares stored there, starting a fire fueled by free-flowing hydraulic fluid. The engineer was wounded in the leg and the radio operator lost his arm below the elbow. Despite a tourniquet, he succumbed to shock and slipped into unconsciousness. The intercom system was useless. The crew was still able to drop their bombs and the pilot made for Allied lines, over which the co-pilot personally ordered each crew member to jump. However, after jumping Krimminger’s chute got caught in the tail and he crashed with the plane.