Joseph John Molinari
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Riley F Bissonette son.
Object Number - UPL 20795 - 563rd Bomb Squadron crew in front of B-17 42-30193 "Hardluck".
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #4231084. Killed in Action (KIA). Earlier 10/14/43 on takeoff for Schweinfurt in B17#42-30193 'Hard Luck', no. 3 engine caught fire during take off with 10 bombs aboard. Lt. Swith retracted landing gear to avoid trees. Crew escaped before ac caught fire and exploded.
DFC/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ PH
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: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-794648
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hard Luck
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sweetheart
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Just AG
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 20 December 1943
- Date: 16 December 1943
- Date: 13 December 1943
![Personnel of the 94th Bomb Group at a mission briefing. A censor has obscured the maps and charts in the background. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press'[stamp],'Passed for publication 14 December 1943.'[stamp] '296691.'[Censor no] Printed caption on reverse: 'Operations Room at US Air Base. Preparing for take off. Associated Press photo shows: Col.F. W. Castle, Group Commanding Officer, gives the massed crews of the base the last part of the briefing, and a personal 'Godspeed' and 'Good Luck' in](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408449.jpg.webp?itok=nKEJNh_9)
- Date: 11 December 1943
- Date: 30 November 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Enlisted |
Governors Island, New York, NY 11231, USA | 14 July 1942 | Fort Jay |
|
Died |
Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany | 20 December 1943 | Flak at the Target area was very intense and every plane suffered battle damage. Lt. Eccleston, in a/c 42-31084, was lost due to this flak; and, when last seen at 1212 hours, he was going down with his bomb bay doors open and on fire. |
|
Born |
New York State | ||
|
Buried |
Tablets of The Missing Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial • Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England |
Revisions
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
ABMC; MACR 3154, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p. 342 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
