2nd Lt William James Cook Jr., navigator of the B-17 42-29876 “Battlin’ Bobbie” (named after the pilot’s wife), took off from station 117 Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, UK at 1030 on a bombing mission over Nantes. However, perhaps due to the high volume of radio chatter they had to use due to overcast conditions on their way to the target area, German fighters intercepted them at 1500. While not concentrating their fire on the “Battlin’ Bobbie”, the fighters did score some hits on their left wing, setting it on fire. Rockets took out No. 1 and 2 engines. The pilot decided to pull out of formation to the right and ordered the crew to bail out, struggling to keep the plane steady as the AFCE was out. Cook jumped at 20000 feet. The ripcord wouldn’t open until he had yanked it with all his strength, and then his straps cut into his body, causing massive pain. The German fighters passed within 100 feet of him. He could see the pilots’ expressions and waved. Finally, he landed a half mile from the crashed aircraft. A gaggle of Frenchmen appeared, quite relaxed about everything. After burning his parachute, he gave his military clothes to a boy and half dozen men took off their pants to give to him, to the great amusement of the women present. He hid in some underbrush, guarded by a few of the locals, while food was brought to him and the Germans searched the area, finding one of his crew who had fallen into bad French hands. During the night the Germans detonated three bombs from the crashed plane. In the morning, the local Resistance arranged his journey. He escaped back to the UK through the Bourgogne/Pyrenees/Gibraltar route, arriving back on February 24th 1944. Cook’s full E&E report can be read at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-410.pdf.