B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24620 Snap! Crackle! Pop! 360BS PU-O Actual Nose Art panel from crashed B-17 at St. Nazaire, France - 03 January 1943
Factory fresh B-17F Flying Fortesses, USA 1942.
B-17F 41-24620 'Snap, Crackle, Pop' assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-D] Bangor 14-Sep-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; was one of the first group of 40 B-17s deployed to England by the USAAF 8th Air Force. Plane was named by its original pilot, then-Lt. Jacob Wayne Fredericks, who was an engineer at the Kellogg's Cereal Co. before enlisting. As fate would have it, Lt. Fredericks and his crew took possession of the plane at Kellogg Field in Battle Creek, Michigan (the city where Kellogg's was based), and he was able to get Kellogg's in-house artist to paint the famous "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" trio from Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal brand on the nose. Because crews had to share equipment in the early stages of the war, the crew of Lt. Arthur Adams was assigned to fly to the plane on a bombing mission over St Nazaire, France (home of a major German submarine facility) on 3-Jan-43, where it was shot down by enemy aircraft, crashing in the Escoublac Forest, West of St Nazaire, France. 7KIA 3POW MACR 15464. Navigator: Glen Herrington lost leg, was captured and later repatriated.
In one of the most extraordinary (and well documented) stories in history of surviving a free fall, the ball turret gunner, S/SGT Alan E. Magee, was blown from the plane without a parachute, fell 22,000 ft onto the roof of the St-Nazaire train -- and SURVIVED (with the help of a German military doctor). Magee survived the war as a POW, and lived long enough to attend the dedication of a memorial to the crew of the plane at St. Nazaire in the 1990s.
The aircraft flew in 5 Operations (1 was aborted) See Biography events for crew information
17-Nov-42 Mission #1 - U-Boat Pens at St. Nazaire, France
18-Nov-42 Mission #2 - U-Boat Pens at St. Nazaire, France
12-Dec-42 Mission #3 - Railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France - Aborted
30-Dec-42 Mission #4 - U-Boat Pens at Lorient, France
3-Jan-43 Mission #5 LAST OPERATION - U-Boat Pens at St. Nazaire, France
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 | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS with crew at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".
...
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.
...
Military | Major | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Available 303BG indicate that MAJ Callaway was a Senior Pilot and was assigned to an aircraft and with crew on 26-Jul-42 at Alamogordo Field, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, as a passenger aboard B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
23-Jun-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 41-24620 [PU-O],"Snap!, Crackle!" Pop!" 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico but did not arrive at Molesworth with the rest of the crew. 303BG records do not indicate when he arrived at...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Assigned as Aerial Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
23-Jun-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F 41-24620 [PU-O] "Snap! Crackle! Pop!, 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo, New Mexico. 15-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard B-17F 41-24620.
Mission participation (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Volunteered for USAAF 1941; 23-Jun-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 [PU-O] "Snap! Crackle! Pop!, 303BG/360BS with crew at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with the rank of Captain. 15-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard B-17F 41...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Assigned as Aerial Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Asssigned as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Garbage".
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F #41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS with at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".
...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival in UK | Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 |
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Arrived at Molesworth, UK, with 303BG/360BS. |
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| Mission #1, B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS | Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 |
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CREW B-17F 41-24620 "Snap, Crackle, Pop!", 303BG/360BS CMP MAJ Richard D. Callaway (RTD); CP CPT Jacob W. Fredericks (RTD) |
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| Mission #2, B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS | Saint-Nazaire, France | 18 November 1942 |
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CREW B-17F 41-24620 "Snap, Crackle, Pop!", 303BG/360BS P CPT Jacob W. Fredericks (RTD); CP 2LT Arthur C. Way (RTD) |
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| Mission #3, B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - Aborted | Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 |
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CREW B-17F 41-24620 "Snap, Crackle, Pop!", 303BG/360BS P CPT Jacob W. Fredericks (RTD); CP 1LT Walter K. Shayler (RTD) |
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| Mission #4, B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS | Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 |
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CREW B-17F 41-24620 "Snap, Crackle, Pop!", 303BG/360BS P CPT Jacob W. Fredericks (RTD); CP 1LT Walter K. Shayler (RTD) |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Bois d'Escoublac, 44500 La Baule-Escoublac, France | 3 January 1943 |
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Shot down by enemy aircraft. Crashed in Forest of Escoublac, west of St. Nazaire, France. |
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| Mission #5, B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - FTR | Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 |
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CREW B-17F 41-24620 "Snap, Crackle, Pop!", 303BG/360BS P CPT Arthur I. Adams (KIA); CP 2LT Gene A. Witterstetter (KIA) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 28 June 2021 16:09:44 | wfredericks | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:40:39 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:36:14 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:32:44 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:28:08 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:22:25 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission REport of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:13:37 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Adde Arrival in Uk event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian;, http://www.303rdbg.com/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 January 2016 21:11:17 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2016. Added Mission participations to Biography Description; made connections to all mission participations per 303G website, 303BG Mission Reports, Gary Moncur, Historian, http://www.303rdbg.com/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 May 2015 22:29:47 | JasonR | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 14 January 2015 18:13:02 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 14-Jan-2015. Markings per "The Mighty Eighth Warpaint & Heraldry" Roger A. Freeman; Made connections to Place and Mission within website data: Added crash information to FTR event per MACR 15464; Edited description, converted dates to military-style signification per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Added crew position, rank, full proper name and disposition to crew and formatted crew display per MACR 15464. |
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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 15464 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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