James Cornelius Estep Jr
Military
Front, from left to right : Pilot Thomas A. Pirtle ; Pirtle’s regular Co-Pilot (name unknown ; was not on board 42-38029 when it went down 8 March 1944 and had been replaced by Lt Paul H. Schlintz for that mission) ; Milton W. Stern, Navigator ; Harry F. Cooper, Bombardier.
(Positions in photo determined after a telephone conversation with James W. Warren 30 December 2016)
Added photo of Lt Thomas A. Pirtle's original crew
Object Number - UPL 25806 - Standing, from left to right George W. Cassody, Engineer/Top Turret gunner ; James W. Warren, Right Waist gunner ; James C. Estep Jr, Left Waist...
After 2 years of High School, James Estep Jr enlisted in January 1943 and followed aerial gunnery training. Sent overseas, he was assigned to the 381st Bomber Group / 532nd Bomber Squadron. He was Left Waist gunner on board B-17 # 42-38029 when it was shot down on the 8 March 1944 mission to Berlin-Erkner. Initially evaded with the help of Dutch and Belgian patriots, he and other American airmen, including five others of his crew, were denounced and arrested with members of the Resistance organization. Interned in Liège before he was sent to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow-Tychowo (Poland). Force-marched from there on 6 February 1945. Walked for 86 days until liberated on 2 May 1945. Flown to France, then to England and repatriated to the United States. The story of his evasion, capture and internment at https://www.evasioncomete.be/festepjc.html
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: 32747053
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
![A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to base after a mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31761) nicknamed "Rotherhithe's Revenge". Image stamped on reverse: 'Sunday Pictorial for Censor.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 10 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '310673.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'BACK FROM BERLIN. Scenes this week at a Bomber station of the U.S. Air Force , somewhere in England. The crew of the Flying Fortress "Rotherhithe's Revenge", a British subscribed ship](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380068.jpg.webp?itok=3h76SN3N)
- Date: 8 March 1944
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Coal Grove, Ohio | 29 February 1924 | the son of James Cornelius Estep and Alice (Clutter) Estep |
|
Enlisted |
Columbus, Ohio, United States | 12 January 1943 | |
|
Other bailed out of B-17 # 42-38029 |
near Laren, Gelderland, The Netherlands | 8 March 1944 | landed in parachute between De Schoolt and Laren, about 15km from the crash location, East of Deventer (Overijssel Province), The Netherlands |
|
Other Evaded capture |
8 March 1944 - 27 May 1944 | Helped by Dutch patriots; crossed River Maas into Belgium; helped by Belgian patriots in Rekem, Hasselt and Liège. Was arrested in Liège 27 May 1944 when the evasion network was denounced by Belgian traitors | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Tychowo, Poland | 27 May 1944 | Interned at the Liège Prison, then at the Citadelle Saint-Léonard, Liège before being sent to the Dulag Luft Interrogation center and ultimately to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow-Tychowo (Poland) – Nara WWII POW database : “Returned to Military Control 28 May 1945”. |
|
Died |
Englewood, Florida, United States | 2 April 2011 | |
| Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, United States |
Revisions
MACR 3002
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
RAMP (Returned Allied Military Personnel) report 28 May 1945
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3002, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces