B-17G - #43-37979 838th squadron
Comment from Ivo de Jong on this photo:
I am quite sure that this photo was taken on the September 17, 1944 mission to Holland. That day flak positions on the 'route in' for the troop carrier units for operation Market Garden were bombed from only 8,000 feet. This explains the copilot not wearing an oxygen mask. On that day Lt Halliday (with Joseph Mitchell as a gunner) flew in the number three positionin the 'A' Group in 43-38015 (which is consistent with the other photos that Mike posted). In the number two position (off their right wing) was the crew of Lt Donald T. Stone in 43-37979, and leading the formation (thus slightly forward) was Lt Robert G. Reeder with command pilot Francis C. Eberhart (838th BS CO) in 42-97969. This all perfectly matches this photograph.
(photo provided by Mike Mitchell)