James Mark Cramer
Military
media-19365.jpeg
UPL 19365
"Lt. Eldon J Smith and crew of the 322nd Bomb Sqn, 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, pose beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. 16 August 1943, England".
- 16 August 1943: the 323rd Bomb Sqn, 91st BG supplied 4 birds for a mission to bomb Le Bourget airport. 2 miles short of the French coast, Lt Eldon J Smith & crew, flying B-17F 42-3213 "All American" (coded OR-M) had an explosion aboard their aircraft. Turning back for England, they were forced to ditch 4 miles from land; air-sea rescue quickly retrieved them. They pose here with a life raft and what may be B-17F 42-3079 (coded OR-X), a "no-name" Fortress obtained from the 95th BG.
NARA Ref# 342-FH-3A10546-62742AC.
- 16 August 1943: the 323rd Bomb Sqn, 91st BG supplied 4 birds for a mission to bomb Le Bourget airport. 2 miles short of the French coast, Lt Eldon J Smith & crew, flying B-17F 42-3213 "All American" (coded OR-M) had an explosion aboard their aircraft. Turning back for England, they were forced to ditch 4 miles from land; air-sea rescue quickly retrieved them. They pose here with a life raft and what may be B-17F 42-3079 (coded OR-X), a "no-name" Fortress obtained from the 95th BG.
NARA Ref# 342-FH-3A10546-62742AC.
Assigned to 323BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Ditched in North Sea due to mechanical failure in B-17 42-3213 16-Aug-43. Returned to base. Shot down 16-Sep-43 in B-17 42-3079. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 550
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 16 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Hancock County, OH | 6 September 1915 | |
Enlisted |
Camp Perry, Lacarne, OH | 21 March 1942 | Camp Perry Lacarne Ohio |
Other Ditched |
North Sea | 16 August 1943 | Ditched in North Sea due to mechanical failure in B-17 42-3213, 16 Aug 43. RTD. |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Żagań, Poland | 16 September 1943 | Prisoner of War. Stalag Luft III. |
Other Shot down |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 September 1943 | Shot down 16 Sept 43 in B-17 42-3079. POW. |
Died |
8 September 1977 | ||
Buried |
Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery Findlay, Hancock County, OH | 12 September 1977 | Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery Findlay, Hancock County, OH |
Based |
Bassingbourn | 16 September 1943 | Assigned to 323BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added a "-" to 2 A/C serial numbers in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 550 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor; MACR 550