When a B-17 tail fell with a gunner inside

On November 29, 1943, a formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses embarked on a mission to strike strategic targets in the industrial city of Bremen, Germany. Aboard one of these bombers, an aircraft from the 96th Bomb Group named Rikki Tikki Tavi, was Staff Sergeant Eugene Moran. As the tail gunner, Moran faced relentless attacks from enemy fighters. When Rikki Tikki Tavi experienced a malfunction and fell out of formation, German aircraft, including Bf 109s and FW 190s, closed in. The bomber was ultimately torn apart mid-air, splitting into two pieces, with Moran still in the tail section. Some of the details surrounding this story have been documented in works like Tailspin by John Armbruster.