Louis B Sinopoli

Military

17-Feb-42 Assigned as Bombardier on B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Thumper".



On 23-Jan-43 in #41-24579 'Thumper' while serving as Bombardier the aircraft received battle damage on mission to Lorient, France and upon return nine crew members bailed out. Four men were injured. The pilot and co-pilot landed wheels-up at Lulsgate Bottom airfield near Bristol. While he was not injured, he did not fly anymore missions after this date. May have been assigned to ground duties, possibly discharged.



Participated in 7 Operations (2 aborted) See Biography events

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-435855
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

16 June 1920

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 17 February 1942 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Bombardier aboard B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #1, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 23 November 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

20 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Returned to Duty (RTD)

Bristol, City of Bristol, UK 23 January 1943 Baled out of battle damaged B-17F 41-24579 near Bristol England. 303BG records indicate that this was the last mission he flew.

Other

Mission #7, 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli, W/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft sustained battle damage but was able to return to England. The Pilot ordered the crew, other than the Co-Pilot to bail out, which he did.

Died

6 April 2000

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

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

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added birth event per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 3611355. Fixed a typo for 1 of the events.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to John A. Castle, the pilot of A/C 41-24579. Also fixed typo in "Summary Biography".

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Correcting typo in Mission #6 event notes.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cuninngham 4-Feb-2016. Correcting typo in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to AIrcraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Feb-2016. Adde intital assignment and arrival info to Sumary Biography; made connections to all missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 12-Feb-2015. Added SN , RTD event, Biography edits based on 303rd Bomb Group website records, historian Gary Moncur; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Hell's Angels Newsletter May 2001; Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 66