SGT USAAF WWII
381st BG, 353rd B Sq


He was the son of Alexander Josh McCutcheon and Ona Bell Cash. His siblings were Ardella McCutcheon Hixenbaugh and Roy C McCutcheon .

He married Lola Chamberlain 1 March 1942. Together they had one daughter, Pat. Lola later married a Whittaker.

He enlisted in the service 4 November 1942 at Los Angeles, California. At the time he was living in Los Angeles County, had completed one year of college, was married, and worked in a machine shop in his civil life.


B-17G #42-31097 'Mission Belle' crashed while on a combat mission to a target at Leverkusen, Germany. The cause was reportedly due to flak bursts while the formation was under persistent head-on fighter attacks, leaving the ship with no controls. A 20mm shell blew out the armor plate near the cockpit, injuring Pilot Sunde in the back. The crew decided to ditch the aircraft in the Rhine River. There was one dinghy available, which several of the crew were able to utilize. Pilot Sunde attempted to swim to shore, but drowned before anyone could reach him. Three men were killed in action~

FO Harland V Sunde, ASN T-061036, Pilot, from Hennepin Co MN
Sgt Doyle C McCutchen, ASN 39542283, Ball Turret Gunner, from Los Angeles CA
Sgt John F Healy, ASN 32335119, Tail Turret Gunner, from Kings Co NY

Seven other crew members were able to exit the ship but were captured and taken as POWs~

2nd Lt James W Sweaney, ASN O-749108, Co-Pilot, from Riverside Co CA
2nd Lt Roger G Christensen, ASN O-739541, Navigator, from Cass Co IA
2nd Lt O D Tully, ASN O-685892, Bombardier, from Marshall Co AL
Sgt Claudio S Carano, ASN 32410832, Radio Operator-Gunner, from Kings Co NY
SSgt William P England, ASN 38168075, Flight Engineer, from San Miguel Co NM
Sgt Charles J Culver, ASN 35722592, Right Waist Gunner, from Henderson Co KY
Sgt Carlton A Josephson, ASN 31196558, Left Waist Gunner, from Hartford Co CT


A book has recently been written by Bill Yancy about this crew and the air crash tragedy of 1 December 1943. It is called We Knew We Were In for a Long Day .

Our friends in the town of Nieuw-Lekkerland, Netherlands, where the crash occurred, are currently (2015) planning a monument to honor this brave crew.

SGT USAAF WWII
381st BG, 353rd B Sq


He was the son of Alexander Josh McCutcheon and Ona Bell Cash. His siblings were Ardella McCutcheon Hixenbaugh and Roy C McCutcheon .

He married Lola Chamberlain 1 March 1942. Together they had one daughter, Pat. Lola later married a Whittaker.

He enlisted in the service 4 November 1942 at Los Angeles, California. At the time he was living in Los Angeles County, had completed one year of college, was married, and worked in a machine shop in his civil life.


B-17G #42-31097 'Mission Belle' crashed while on a combat mission to a target at Leverkusen, Germany. The cause was reportedly due to flak bursts while the formation was under persistent head-on fighter attacks, leaving the ship with no controls. A 20mm shell blew out the armor plate near the cockpit, injuring Pilot Sunde in the back. The crew decided to ditch the aircraft in the Rhine River. There was one dinghy available, which several of the crew were able to utilize. Pilot Sunde attempted to swim to shore, but drowned before anyone could reach him. Three men were killed in action~

FO Harland V Sunde, ASN T-061036, Pilot, from Hennepin Co MN
Sgt Doyle C McCutchen, ASN 39542283, Ball Turret Gunner, from Los Angeles CA
Sgt John F Healy, ASN 32335119, Tail Turret Gunner, from Kings Co NY

Seven other crew members were able to exit the ship but were captured and taken as POWs~

2nd Lt James W Sweaney, ASN O-749108, Co-Pilot, from Riverside Co CA
2nd Lt Roger G Christensen, ASN O-739541, Navigator, from Cass Co IA
2nd Lt O D Tully, ASN O-685892, Bombardier, from Marshall Co AL
Sgt Claudio S Carano, ASN 32410832, Radio Operator-Gunner, from Kings Co NY
SSgt William P England, ASN 38168075, Flight Engineer, from San Miguel Co NM
Sgt Charles J Culver, ASN 35722592, Right Waist Gunner, from Henderson Co KY
Sgt Carlton A Josephson, ASN 31196558, Left Waist Gunner, from Hartford Co CT


A book has recently been written by Bill Yancy about this crew and the air crash tragedy of 1 December 1943. It is called We Knew We Were In for a Long Day .

Our friends in the town of Nieuw-Lekkerland, Netherlands, where the crash occurred, are currently (2015) planning a monument to honor this brave crew.