4 April 1945. Near the end of World War II. During a bombing
mission to Kiel, Germany, two B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 385th Bombardment
Group collided over the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands. Angel's
Sister (43-58310) and Shady Lady (43-38639) were lost, along with all eighteen
airmen aboard including tail gunner Harold Keith “Whitey” Fredericksen.
Serving with the Eighth Air Force in the 548th Bomb Squadron
of the 385th Bombardment Group, Keith wrote home from Great Ashfield, Suffolk,
England, while his mother carefully saved every letter, photograph, telegram,
and keepsake. When his aircraft failed to return and he was declared missing in
action, those treasured mementos became a record of both his service and the
family's struggle to understand what had happened.
Beyond the loss of a single airman, this book follows the
survivors from his original crew, the bonds forged during wartime, and the
lasting impact the collision had on fellow airmen, friends, and family members.
Built from letters, photographs, military records, and
official government correspondence, Two B-17s Collided: A Tail Gunner
Remembered combines family history with military aviation history to
document one family's experience of war, loss, and the sacrifice they never
forgot. This is Keith’s story.
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