Entered the Service From Tennessee.
U.S. Army Air Forces, 750th Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomber Group, Heavy
Memorialized at Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands
Son of Linda Shepherd of Sweetwater, Tennessee
Aircraft B-17G with serial number 44-8046 departed from England on a bombing mission to Politz, Germany. The aircraft was hit by intense and accurate flak. The #2 engine and perhaps #3 caught on fire. The aircraft went down in a steep dive spiral or flat spin. Engine and piece of the right wing came off. Then a section of the tail came off. The plane blew up or fell apart; some pieces seen to land in Stettiner Haven.
From two to nine chutes were reported; of these one was reported on fire as it left the plane, and another came out when the plane fell apart or exploded. Four chutes reported from the nose and three from the waist, the one reported on fire was from the waist.
The aircraft apparently did not drop its bombs. The bomb-bay doors were seen to close near what should have been the correct bomb release line. Then the aircraft was hit by flak.
Crew members
Air Commander, Colonel James R. Luper
Pilot, Capt. Alfred W. Fischer
Nagivator, Major Norman A. Kriehn
Navigator, 1st Lt William J. Morrow
Bombardier, Capt Henry P. Loades
Navigator-Radar, 1st Lt Frederick W. Asbell
Right Waist Gunner, Major Gordon H. Haggard
Tail Gunner, 1st Lt Edward A. McNeal Jr.
Top Turret Gunner, T/Sgt Ancil U. Shepherd
Radio Operator, T/Sgt John W. Koehler
Left Waist Gunner, S/Sgt John H. Derling
Photo provided by Connie Shepherd Robertson
- Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Date of birth: 20 September 1920
- Date of death: 7 October 1944
- County: McMinn
- Hometown: Sweetwater
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 750th Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Battles: Air War in Europe
- Awards: Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XV, Bottom Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Ancil Ulyss Shepherd
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