James F Berger

Military

Shot down 5 November 1943 in B-17 #41-24565 'The Rambling Wreck', Prisoner of War (POW).



Earlier 10/14/43 on return from Schweinfurt mission, with B-17#42-5482 'Cat O'Nine Tails' running out of fuel landed at Bedfordshire. Crew returned.



Awards: POW

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Corporal Murray S. Pearl, of the 303rd Bomb Group, with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24565) nicknamed "Idaho Potato Peeler". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 28 Jan 1943. [stamp] and ‘245656.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Cpl. Murray S. Pearl, serving with the U.S.A.A.F in a bomber squadron, appreciates the heavy fur-lined jerkin issued to him, for, in private life, he was a fur manufacturer at 222 West 28th Stre

41-24565

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Ramblin' Wreck : Idaho Potato Peeler
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

42-5482

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cat-O-Nine Tails
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Fighter Group

Missions

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.

Stalag Luft I

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 5 November 1943 Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to the A/C #42-5482 listed in the "Summary biography" .

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the 8th AF mission #121 for 5 Nov 1943.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed the "Possible DUPLICATE" flag in the Nickname field and then removed the duplicate person.
Copied the "Summary biography" from a Duplicate person as part of a merge operation of dup people so the dup person can be deleted.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Flagged as a "Possible DUPLICATE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag Luft 1 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added S/N and POW camp info from POW records at the National Archives. Added a "Summary biography" copied from another of his crew.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 1157 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database