Harold F Prestwood
Military ROLL OF HONOURBTG, Saur crew. Original BTG with the Fastrup crew. 391st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Lost on mission #59 to the aircraft factories at Oschersleben, Germany on 11 Jan 1944. An ME109 exploded near B-17G #42-37962 'Betty Lou' and the engine split the bomber in two. MACR 1976. Killed in Action (KIA). This was T/Sgt Prestwood's first mission. He never escaped the ball turret when the plane broke in half. Lord Haw Haw reported in his radio broadcast that the ball turret was found 6 feet in the ground.
The 1st Bomb Wing/381st BG did not hear the recall while over the continent. 180 out of 700 bombers continued the mission without fighter cover. The 381st BG earned its second Distinguished Unit Citation.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13003529
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-751095
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33256915
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18098510
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Betty Lou
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 11 January 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Based Killed in Action (KIA) |
22 December 1943 - 11 January 1944 | Originally assigned to the Fastrup crew | |
|
Other Killed in Action |
Germany | 11 January 1944 | |
|
Born |
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Buried |
Revisions
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 1876, 8th AF Losses / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1876 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database