Lloyd George Brady was serving as the Ball Turret Gunner on board the B-17F "Flying Fortress" 42-97274 when it was hit by German flak while returning from a mission over Schweinfurt, Germany. The plane exploded in mid-air and subsequently crashed near Fouleng, Belgium. During the plane's rapid descent, Brady tried to help the Right Waist Gunner, Raymond Marz, out of his position but neither survived. Although he and the rest of the crew typically flew in a B-17F known as "Royal Flush," they were assigned a different plane so that the "Royal Flush" could undergo repairs.