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A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'
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A B-17F Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) nicknamed "Thumper" of the 303rd Bomb Group that has crash landed. Official caption on image: "...AD-S-14-303)(23-1-43)(A/C No. 41-24579. Type B17F. Battle Damage) (...G20-ETO-303BG) (1-23-43) B-17F 41-124579 Battle Damage." Handwritten caption on reverse: '23/1/43. 387.' Printed caption on reverse: '61858 A - Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Thumper" (Aircraft No. 41-24579) crash landed at a base in England, 303rd Bomb Group. 23 January 1943. U.S. Air Force Photo.'
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This looks to be a B-17F, 41-24579 Thumper is listed as a G model not sure if they are related but I figured I would put it here incase it is.
B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] 17-Feb-42 Gowen Field, Idaho; Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France on 23-Jan-43. 11 man crew. Belly-landed at Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, UK.
Aircraft was too damaged to repair and was salvaged. 6RTD 4WIA 1KOM. No MACR issued.
Aircraft Participated in 7 Operations (2 Aborted). See Biography events for crew information
Service
Units
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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...
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People
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Military | Captain | Lead Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
17-Feb-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth UK. He was despatched on 26 Operations - 25 credited. Served as a Lead Navigator on 23 of those missions. Completed a 25-Mission...
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Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
06-Mar-42 Assigned as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24559 [PU-C] "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Ooold Soljer"
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
12-Mar-42 Assigned to 303BG/360BS in B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" as 2LT and Co-Pilot. Gowen Field (Boise), Idaho.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
Earlier 23 January 1943 on a mission to Lorient, returned to southwest England with only one engine operating. Pilot Castle ordered a bail out. Pilots Castle and Fitzsimmons landed B-17 #41-24579 'Thumper' wheels up near Bristol.
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
6-Mar-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F #41-24559 [PU-C], "Ooold Soljer:, 303BG 360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Ooold Soljer."
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Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
15-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F #42-2967 [PU-G] "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 24-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot of "Shak Hak".
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
17-Feb-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as pilot of "Thumper".
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner; Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
17-Feb-42 Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oc-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Thumper"
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Military | Captain | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Flew as replacement navigator in William H Breed's crew on 303rd BG mission no. 10 to Lille on 13 January 1943.
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Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
10-Jul-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F #41-24567 [PU-J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Beats Me".
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Show more
Missions
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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...
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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...
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23 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) for this mission. A combined force of 50 B-17s despatched from 91BG (10), 303BG (12), 305BG (20) and 306BG (8) to attack this target. 91BG is not able to put any of their group on the target,...
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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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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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3 January 1943
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are once again the target for this mission. This is proving to be a particularly difficult target to destroy due to its massive, reinforced concrete design. It consists of 14 individual pens connected together in...
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13 January 1943
The primary target for this mission is the Atclier d'Hellemmes locomotive works, associated steel works and the railroad marshalling yards at Lille, France. The attacking force is composed of 72 B-17s from: 91BG (13); 303BG (19); 305BG (23) and 306BG ...
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23 January 1943
The port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the primary target for this mission. 305th Bombardment Group is selected as the lead group, but condensation on the bombsight of the lead aircraft in the Group prevents the 305BG from bombing Lorient...
Places
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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...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Aircraft Assigned to Unit |
Boise, ID, USA |
17 February 1942 |
B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" assigned to 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.
ORIGINAL CREW
P 2LT John A. Castle; CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons
N 2LT Samuel Anderson; B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli
E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith; RO SSGT Emilio J, Yannie, Jr.
BTG SGT Cecil E. Kraft; LWG Not Assigned
RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick
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Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK |
16 October 1942 |
B-17F 41-24579 arrives at Molesworth, UK.
CREW
P 2LT John A. Castle; CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons
N 2LT Samuel Anderson; B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli
E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith; RO SSGT Emilio J, Yannie, Jr.
BTG SGT Cecil E. Kraft; LWG SSGT Meyer Levin
RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick
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Mission #1, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
17 November 1942 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli
E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB)
BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft; LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman
RWG SGT Jerry W. Dobbins; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick
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Mission #2, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
18 November 1942 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB)
E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB)
BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB)
RWG SGT Jerry W. Dobbins (RTB); TG SGT Peter Soria (RTB)
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Mission #3, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
23 November 1942 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB)
E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB)
BTG SSGT Gilbert A. Murray, Jr. (RTB); LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB)
RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)
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Mission #4, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Lille, France |
6 December 1942 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Glen M. Herrington (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB)
E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB)
BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB)
RWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)
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Mission #5, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France |
20 December 1942 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Otis A. Hoyt (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB)
E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB)
BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SSGT Gilbert A. Murray, Jr. (RTB)
RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)
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Mission #6, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
3 January 1943 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P CPT Lewis E. Lyle (RTB); CP 1LT Keith O. Bartlett (RTB)
N CPT Paul G. Moore (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB)
E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith (RTB); RO SGT Clayton S. Balcombe (RTB)
BTG SGT Robert H. Sangster (RTB); LWG SSGT Woodrow W. Smith (RTB)
RWG SGT Edward A. Bradford (RTB); TG SGT Tom McGiffin (RTB)
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Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) |
Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset BS40, UK |
23 January 1943 |
Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France. 11 man crew. Nine baled out over England, but RWG SSgt Billie L. Staner was killed when his chute failed to open. Pilot and Co-Pilot stayed with the aircraft and made a belly landing at Lulsgate Bottom airfield near Bristol, England. Aircraft was salvaged.
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Mission #7, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France |
23 January 1943 |
CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
P 1LT John A. Castle Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent Fitzsimmons (RTB)
N 2LT Charles L. Herman (WIA/RTD); B 2LT Louis B. Simopoli (BO/RTD)
E/TTG TSGT Meyer Levin (WIA); RO TSGT Emilio J. Yannie, Jr. (BO/RTD)
BTG SSGT Cecil E. Craft (WIA); LWG SGT Joseph S. Klasnick (BO/RTD)
RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (KOM); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (WIA/RTD)
Photographer SGT James F. Loll (RTD)
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