F/O Joseph F. Fitzgerald, co-pilot of the B-17 42-29963 “Judy”, took off from station 117 Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, UK at 0730 on a bombing mission over Ludwigshafen and Solingen. The plane’s no.1 engine suffered a direct flak hit right after bombs away. Wounded, the bomber was harassed by enemy fighters until part of the crew managed to bail out at 1259. Fitzgerald never made it out of the plane.