Raymond H Kilgore
Military ROLL OF HONOURSTANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: Cpt. Ross C. Bales (pilot), 1Lt. Walter E. Dooley (Co-pilot), 2Lt. Paul M. Thomas (Navigator), 2Lt Carlton Browning (Navigator), KNEELING LEFT TO RIGHT: SGT. Homer T. Perkins (Waist Gunner), T/SGT. Raymond K. Winter Jr. (engineer), SGT. Jack D. Snell (Tail Gunner) S/SGT. Raymond H. Kilgore (Radio), S/SGT Joseph G. Zsampar (Ball Turret Gunner). MACR 15593
28-Feb-42 Assigned as Radio Operator on B-17F #41-24565 [BN P] "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS at Pendleton Fielsd, Pendleton, Oregon and arrived 25-Oct-42 at Molesworth, UK aboard that aircraft.
Shot down 14 May 1943 in B-17F #42-5243 "FDR's Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS. Aircraft crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Cluster
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-662289 and 18054662 on enlisting
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Ramblin' Wreck : Idaho Potato Peeler
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The 8 Ball
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Holy Mackerel
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: FDR's Potato Peeler Kids
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 14 May 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
- Date: 4 February 1943
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Pendleton, OR 97801, USA | 28 February 1942 | Assigned as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peelers", 303BG/359BS at Pendleton Field, Pendleton, Oregon. |
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 25 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler", 303BG/359BS at the Radio Operator. |
Other Mission #1, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #2, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS |
18 November 1942 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
Other Mission #3, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 22 November 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #4, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #5, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #6, TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24609, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24609 "Holy Mackerel", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #7 TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24605, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24605 "Knock-out Dropper", 303BG/359BS to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. |
Other Mission #8 TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #9 TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #10 TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 42-5423 303BG/359BS |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 42-5423 "FDR's Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #11 TSGT Raymond H. Kilgore, w/B-17F 42-5423 303BG/359BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 42-5423 "FDR's Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
North Sea | 14 May 1943 | Killed when the aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea. |
Born |
Oklahoma | ||
Other Commemorated |
6269 Margraten, Netherlands | Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/041.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Made connections to Missions of 4-Feb-43 and 26-Feb-43 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Made Mission connections within existing website data.
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Addeed Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG wesbite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ross C. Bales crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-bales.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ross C. Bales crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-bales.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added initial aassigment and arrival in UK to Summary Biography, added BG/BS to aircraft, made connections to 41-24564, 41-24581, 41-24605, 41-24609 and all missions through 3-Jan-43 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15593, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I p. 118 by Bishop & Hey, WW II National Memorial