No Man Left Behind: Recovering and commemorating the crew of ‘Little Boy Blue’

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) played a critical role in the Allied effort, conducting strategic bombing raids essential to weakening enemy forces. Among the aircraft used was the B-17 Flying Fortress, a heavy bomber renowned for its durability and firepower. England’s Suffolk, with its 32 airfields, became a significant base for these planes and their operations, hosting many American squadrons tasked with missions over Europe. One of these missions ended in tragedy on 19th July 1944, when the B-17 ‘Little Boy Blue‘ collided mid-air with another aircraft, ultimately crashing in fields just outside Thurston.

The crash occurred as Little Boy Blue, was on a bombing route to Schweinfurt, Germany. Of the ten young men aboard, only two survived. Tragically, one crewman fell from the fuselage without his parachute, while four others were recovered from the wreckage. The explosion on impact left three crew members unaccounted for, denying their families closure and the opportunity for formal funerals. Pilot Walter Malaniak (age 26), Co-Pilot Aaron Brinkoeter (age 24), and Radio Operator Ronald Grey (age 27) – were never recovered and have since been commemorated on the Wall of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery. These three ‘MIA’ individuals have been the focus of our recent recovery efforts, aimed at finding and repatriating their remains, and hopefully bringing some closure to their families.

Our team were commissioned by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), a US government agency committed to locating and identifying missing American service members from past conflicts. In September 2023, Cotswold Archaeology led a mixed team of 50 volunteers, including UK military veterans from Operation Nightingale, serving US military personnel, Cranfield University’s CRICC team, and the Suffolk Archaeology Field Group, in an investigation of the crash site. Employing systematic geophysical surveys, fieldwalking, test-pitting, and metal detecting, the team meticulously mapped the debris field to locate aircraft wreckage, personal effects, and any potential remains. The crash location is in agricultural fields and that history posed challenges, but the team’s perseverance was rewarded when, on his first day at the site, local metal detectorist Clive Smither discovered the dog tag of Co-Pilot Aaron Brinkoeter, poignantly on 12th September – Aaron’s birthday. This moving discovery provided a tangible connection to the lost airman that will stay with us all for some time to come.

The project attracted significant local interest, with historians and enthusiasts contributing invaluable insights and historical context and, crucially, connecting us with eyewitnesses who were still living in the community. Local historian Ian McLachlan, who had met Hal Hagerty, one of the two survivors, shared personal letters from Hal that revealed Ronald Grey (Radio Operator) was an Anglican Episcopalian, and his mother and sister had requested a service at the crash site — a wish yet to be fulfilled.

On 19th July 2024, the 80th anniversary of the crash, we held that memorial service in collaboration with land-owner Steve Honeywood, to honour all ten crewmen and fulfil the request of Ronald Grey’s family for a service at his final known location. The Bishop of Dunwich, Rt Rev Dr. Mike Harrison, led the service, acknowledging the considerable impact of the incident on many families – in the US and in the local area. The event was profoundly moving, with around 30 family members of the aircrew attending in person and many others watching via live stream. The recording of the event can be viewed here.

A permanent memorial was unveiled, serving as a poignant reminder of the airmen’s courage and the freedoms they fought for. Small B-17 pins, crafted by TMB Art Metal and created from the wreckage of the aircraft, were presented to family members.

The recovery is the subject of an upcoming feature episode of Time Team, with more on-site video and commentary available in their recently released news piece, available here. Photographer Harvey Mills has also recorded our time on the recovery with poignant imagery, available here.