8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-T] Bangor 10/9/42; Molesworth 16/10/42; 59m transferred 1 Base Air Depot (sic),* Burtonwood 7/7/44; Returned to the USA Altus 18/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 14/8/45. Over Vegasack 18/3/43 with Capt Harry Stouse, Navigator: Jesse Elliott, brought damaged ship home with severely wounded Jack Mathis-b (awarded posthumous MOH). SURE STUFF aka THE DUCHESS.
* Air Base Depot (BAD1)
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DSC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean conflict.
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Flew 28 combat missions. Served as ball Turret Gunner with many pilots and on many different aircraft in the 360th Squadron of the 303rd Bomb Group.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
24-Jun-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F #41-24561 [BN-T] "The Dutchess", 303BG/359BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "the Dutchess".
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | 303rd Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. As lead Bombardier aboard 'The Duchess,' released bombs accurately on target Vegesack after being mortally wounded in B-17 41-24561 18-Mar-43. Killed in Action (KIA)
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
17 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 49 B-17s despatched from 91BG (20), 303BG (16) and 306BG (13). Another element of 14 B-24s despatched from 93BG also joins the bombing force on St. Nazaire. The...
18 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed...
22 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the Primary (P) target of this mission. A combined force of 68 B-17s despatched from 91BG (18), 303BG (18) 305BG (23) and 306BG (9) against the target but a 10/10 could cover prevents all but 11 from 303BG from...
6 December 1942
The German airfield of Drucat at Abbeville, France is the primary target for 19 B-24s despatched from 44th Bomb Group but are recalled. One squadron of 6 does not hear the recall and proceeds to the target, 1 B-24 MIA.
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12 December 1942
This mission is composed of two elements. First element: The German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a force of 78 B-17s despatched from 91BG (19), 303BG (20), 305BG (21) and 306BG (18). However, the target is...
20 December 1942
The German Air Depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 80 B-17s despatched by 91BG (17), 303BG (21); 305BG (23) and 306BG (19). 60 B-17 are effective on the target, but 7 are MIA and 1 is DBR.
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14 February 1943
The marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany are once again slated at the primary target for this mission. A force of 74 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (17); 305BG (17); 306BG (20), but weather once again forces the mission to be recalled before...
16 February 1943
The port area and U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are designated as the primary target of this mission of 71 B-17s and 18 B-24s. B-17s are from 91BG (18); 303BG (15); 305BG (18); 306BG (20) of these 59 are effective on the target and 6 are lost....
26 February 1943
After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities...
4 March 1943
After several weather-caused aborted attempts in attacking the marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, the 8th Air Force is finally successful in attacking this target. A total of 71 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (18); 305BG (12) amd 306BG (21)....
Military site : airfield
Built for the RAF in 1939-40, the RAF's No. 37 Maintenance Unit used the base from 1940 to 1942, before it became a joint Anglo-American maintenance and servicing airfield - a Base Air Depot. After the war it continued to be used as a maintenance and...
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
Event | Location | Date |
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Sustained heavy damage | U-Boat Pens, Vegesack-Bremen, Germany | 18 March 1943 |
Duchess would sustain heavy damage, mostly ending her career, in the same action that Lt Jack Mathis would earn his MoH. |
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Delivered | BAD 1 | 7 July 1944 |
Moved to BAD 1* Base Air Depot |
Date | Contributor | Update |
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04 May 2020 14:36:29 | CastleBren | Changes to events, place associations and mission associations |
Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
20 March 2020 09:33:35 | CastleBren | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, events, person associations and mission associations |
Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group records |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
16 February 2020 18:12:18 | phil marchese | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
Correction to designation/ acronym. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
15 September 2017 18:30:57 | Al_Skiff | Changes to media associations |
Sources | ||
Roger Freeman photo. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
15 September 2017 16:45:21 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, unit associations and media associations |
Sources | ||
Roger Freeman photo. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:40:03 | AAM | AAM ingest |
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Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |