8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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The George S. McClellan crew of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, taken in Scott Field, Illinois, August 1943.
Six of the crew pictured were flying on the 01 January 1944 mission.
Back L-R: T/Sgt David Tempesta (E)(KIA), S/Sgt Robert G. Yarian (BTG-POW),
Sgt Selig (R)(not with crew in England), S/Sgt Charles E. Dugan (TG)(POW), S/Sgt Robert H. McGrew (WG)
Front L-R: 2Lt Ernest G. Greenwood (CP), 2Lt Merlin L. Cornish (B)(POW),
2Lt John C. Kaliher (N)(POW), 1Lt George S. McClellan (P)(KIA)
Connections
Units
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303rd Bomb Group
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New... -
427th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Merlin Cornish
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Charles Dugan
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Ernest Greenwood
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
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John Kaliher
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
George McClellan
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Robert McGrew
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner
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David Tempesta
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner/ Flight Engineer
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Robert Yarian
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Shot down by fighters on mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #41-24587 'Bad Check'. Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Aircraft
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41-24587 Bad Check
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-P] Bangor 5/10/42; Molesworth 25/10/42; Missing in Action 45m Oschersleben 11/1/44 with George McClellan, Co-pilot: Bill Fisher, ex B-26 pilot on his 1st mission, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dave Tempesta, Radio Operator...
Missions
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8th Air Force 182
11 January 1944
Three aviation industry targets in Germany are bombed. The bomber force consists of 291 B-17s despatched from 1st Bomb Division in two elements, one element of 177 B-17s is despatched to Oschersleben, Germany as the primary target, the other 1BD...
Locations
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Molesworth
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 04 May 2020 15:56:50 | CastleBren | Created entry with collection, caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group records |
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