Orrin Merrill
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
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Joseph Oliver Brabham
Military
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Orrin Merrill Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS B-17G-65-BO #43-37642 Standing Left to Right" Frank Dykty (FE), Irwin W. Boxer (TOG), Cornelius H. Kelleher (R/O), Leonard Byster (BTG), Joseph O. Brabham (WG), Sylvio Messitti (TG) Kneeling Left to Right: Orrin Merrill (P), Walter B. Soroe (CP), Lawrence J. Redmond (N), Jordan E. Phee (B) Phee did not fly combat with this crew. The photo was taken in the U.S. probably at Biggs AAF
Service
Units served with
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388th Bomb Group
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran... -
562nd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-97210 Jamaica Ginger
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 6/2/44; Kearney 27/2/44; Grenier 9/3/44; Assigned 563BS/388BG Knettishall 22/3/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 28/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)... -
42-97760
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 16/2/44; 1SAG Langley 12/3/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 31/5/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 11/1/46. -
43-38385
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/44; Hunter 5/8/44; Dow Fd 18/8/44; Assigned 563BS/388BG Knettishall 22/8/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 21/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 30/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)... -
43-38873
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Hunter 2/10/44; Dow Fd 23/10/44; Assigned 385BG Gt Ashfield 25/10/44; transferred 561BS/388BG Knettishall 26/10/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 7/1/46. -
44-8146
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Dallas 20/6/44; Langley 6/7/44; Dow Fd 7/9/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 9/9/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 28/2/46; RetUS, 613 BU Phillips 29/4/46. -
44-8251
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Dallas 26/7/44; Hunter 25/8/44; Grenier 16/9/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 19/9/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 20/6/45; Sth Plains 3/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 25/11/45. -
44-8549 Just Joyce
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12/10/44; Hunter 5/11/44; Grenier 3/12/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 16/12/44; RetUS, Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 8/1/46. JUST JOYCE.
Associated Place
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Knettishall
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Atlanta, TX, USA | 15 February 1923 |
| 388th BG Combat Tour | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 17 October 1944 – 30 March 1945 |
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19 missions as RWG |
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| Died | 3 May 1983 | |
| Buried | Atlanta, TX, USA | 7 May 1983 |
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Pine Crest Cemetery • Atlanta, Cass County, Texas, USA |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2017 00:57:20 | 466thHistorian | Changes to middlename, service number, highest rank, role, events, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-BRA01-... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:17:29 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.388bg.info/Personnel.html |
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