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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41-24587
B-17 Flying Fortress
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41-24587 "Bad Check" Crew
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41-24587 "Bad Check"
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The George S. McClellan crew of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, taken in Scott Field, Illinois, August 1943. Six of the crew pictured were flying on the 01 January 1944 mission. Back L-R: T/Sgt David Tempesta (E)(KIA), S/Sgt Robert G. Yarian (BTG-POW), Sgt Selig (R)(not with crew in England), S/Sgt Charles E. Dugan (TG)(POW), S/Sgt Robert H. McGrew (WG) Front L-R: 2Lt Ernest G. Greenwood (CP), 2Lt Merlin L. Cornish (B)(POW), 2Lt John C. Kaliher (N)(POW), 1Lt George S. McClellan (P)(KIA)
Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-P] Bangor 5/10/42; Molesworth 25/10/42; Missing in Action 45m Oschersleben 11/1/44 with George McClellan, Co-pilot: Bill Fisher, ex B-26 pilot on his 1st mission, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dave Tempesta, Radio Operator: George Callihan (4 Killed in Action), Navigator: John Kaliher, Bombardier: Merlin Cornish, Ball turret gunner: Bob Yarian, Waist gunner: Bernell Heaton, Waist gunner: Alf Chiles, Tail gunner: Chas Dugan (6 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crash landed Lienen, Tecklenburg, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 1922. BAD CHECK.
Service
Units
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303rd Bomb Group
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... -
427th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Dante Barron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
24-Jul-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with 303BG/427BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 303BG records do not record the exact date that he arrived in the UK, but probably in Oct-42. 303BG records do not indicate that he had a permanent... -
Jack Belk
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner to 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, with the rank of Sergeant. 303BG personnel record does not indicate that he was assigned to any particular crew at that time and does not indicate when he arrived at... -
Merel Bradley
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
10-Jul-42 Assigned as the Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Arrived in the UK with the crew of 41-24619 aboard B-17F 42-2966, 303BG/427BS on 28-Oct-43. B-17F 41-24619 was... -
Edward Bryant
Military | Captain | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-42 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Bosie, Idaho. 12-Oct-42 Re-assigend to B-17F 41-24569 [GN-V], "Memphis Tot" 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK... -
George Callihan
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Alfred Chiles
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Merlin Cornish
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Walter Curley
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 35 x combat missions. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). Awards: WWII Victory, EAME. -
John Dillinger
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Trained to fly initially at 63rd Army Air Forces Contract Pilot School Douglas, GA. Member of class 42F (July 42). then went to Shaw Field, Sumter, SC for the next level of flying training. Graduated with the class of 42F at the pilot school in Dothan,... -
Charles Dugan
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 20
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 21
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 23
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,... -
VIII Bomber Command 25
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 27
30 December 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the target for this mission. A combined force of 77 B-17s are despatched by 91BG (19); 303BG (16); 305BG (13) and 306BG (18). Only 40 are effective on the target. All but 1 B-17 from the 18 despatched by 306BG is... -
VIII Bomber Command 29
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 ... -
VIII Bomber Command 30
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 33
4 February 1943
The marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany are again designated as the primary target for this mission follwing the abortive attempt of 2-Feb-43. However, weather and extreme cold frustrate this operation also. The main attacking force consists of 65 B-17s... -
VIII Bomber Command 37
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 38
27 February 1943
With weather and cloud cover continuing to frustrate bombing efforts against targets in Northern Germany, VIII Bomber Command decides to mount a raid against the harbour facilities at Brest, France. A total of 60 B-17s are destached: 91BG (18); 303BG ...
Places
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Molesworth
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 |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 11 January 1944 |
| Crashed | Osnabruck, Germany | 11 January 1944 |
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Last seen spinning to the ground at 12,000 feet. Crashed 20 miles southwest of Osnabruck. Four crewman were killed, six were taken prisoner. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 14 October 2020 15:36:25 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 May 2020 15:58:09 | CastleBren | Changes to nicknames, markings, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:03 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1922 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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