William E Rhode Jr
Military
Jeff Coleman
Object Number - UPL 25684 - Lt Carroll Bracy and crew of 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside their Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 5th November 1944, England.
S/Sgt William Rhodes Jr was the tail gunner in the Lt Bracy’s crew. This crew flew at total of 35 missions, over Germany, which included the month of November 1944 when the Mighty 8th Airforce lost around 200 aircraft and crews over enemy territory. He flew 11 missions in 43-38568 “Little Davey II” after its arrival at Debach Aug 1944. One of their previous aircraft was a B-24 Liberator, named by Lt Bracy “Little Davey” after his first born son. His A-2 Jacket is on display at Teterboro Airport in the Aviation Hall of Fme
Air Medal w 4/Oak Leaf Cluster; EAME Ribbon
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Davey II
- Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 861st Bomb Squadron 863rd Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
New York State | 8 May 1915 | |
|
Died |
2 January 1998 | ||
|
Buried |
Paramus, New Jersey |
Revisions
corrections to details in biography from 493rd BG Museum archives
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History/daughter, http://493bgdebach.co.uk/roster_list.php
