42-97303 | American Air Museum

42-97303

Delivered Cheyenne 16/2/44; Rapid City 3/3/44; Grenier 14/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 22/4/44; no ops, transferred 369BS/306BG [WW-Q] Thurleigh 7/5/44; Missing in Action Saarbrucken 11/5/44 with Bill Wills, Co-pilot: John Roberts, Navigator: Jim Sharpe, Bombardier: Dick Jindrich, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Caine, Radio Operator: Bob Carlton, Ball turret gunner: Cleo Dark, Waist gunner: Ken Hanson,Tail gunner: Delbert Bishop (9 Prisoner of War); Waist gunner: John Bartron (KIA- chute failed); flak hits on return trip KOd two engines and a rocket took out controls, crrw bailed and aircraft crashed Honskirch, six miles W of Sarre Union, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 4557.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

John J Bartron

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 13100140
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Delbert E Bishop

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Charles E Caine

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Robert G Carlton

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Cleo H Dark

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 37000203
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Places

Aerial photograph of Nuthampstead Airfield looking north, the technical and recreation sites are on the left, the ammunition dump and firing butts are at the bottom, 9 June 1948. Photograph taken by No. 58 Squadron, sortie number RAF/58/53. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Nuthampstead

Site type: Airfield

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'

Thurleigh

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Bedford

Events

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany

11 May 1944

Revisions

Date27 Sep 2014 18:41:11

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 4557 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database