42-30310 Bonnie V.
- 42-30310 419th BS 301st BG.
Delivered Cheyenne 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 29/5/43; Morrison 9/6/43; Assigned 419BS/301BG St Donat 12/6/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; Missing in Action 31m Regensburg 25/2/44 with Chester Koch, Loy Allen, Ralph Nyren, Paul Parent, (?Watson?), Matt Sheils, Rudolph Wild, Dwight Kimberlin, Jim Montecallo (9? Prisoner of War); Warren Johnson (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Seebach; Missing Air Crew Report 2597.
My father, Glenn Rhodes, left Smoky Hill with this new Fort and two other ships, headed for North Africa via the southern route. They left Natal in South America, en route to Dakar. When they got to Dakar, Dad's CO borrowed the plane to check out a friend who was headed back to the US and wanted his four engine rating. Although they were warned about the importance of paying attention to the mesh mats on the runway, they didn't, and as a result, tore out part of the landing gear, and had to fly her up to Oran for repairs. She re-entered service after the repairs with a different crew, and eventually went to Italy when the 12th joined the 15th there. She was to be named "Bonnie V" after my mom. I'm assuming he left the first digits off his drawing (attached to this entry) for intelligence purposes, as the sketch is from the book he kept while at Stalag Luft 1.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-755256
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37224913
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39550911
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-747433
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32243717
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 25 February 1944
Revisions
Recorded narrative from my dad during a speech given pertaining to his experiences as a B-17 pilot.
Narrative from my father, Glenn J. Rhodes, and a drawing by him, documented in the book that he maintained during his time at Stalag Luft 1. I have attached the drawing to this aircraft's entry.