Luther M Gross

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-49639.jpeg UPL 49639 1Lt Ehle H. Reber (P), 2Lt Jarold J. Byrom (N), 2Lt Robert J. Swindle (B), 2Lt Allan D. Mitchell (CP). This was the cover photograph on the New York Times Magazine, January 10, 1943 issue.

http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2012-02-19.html (The Molesworth Pilot; 303rd Bomb Group Newsletter)

Object Number - UPL 49639 - 1Lt Ehle H. Reber (P), 2Lt Jarold J. Byrom (N), 2Lt Robert J. Swindle (B), 2Lt Allan D. Mitchell (CP). This was the cover photograph on the New York...

1-May-1942 Assigned as and Aerial Gunner of B-17F #41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 25-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "S-for-Sugar". Apparently he and the crew were re-assigned to B-17F #41-24607 [GN-W] "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS, no explanation was found in the records of 303BG on their website.



Shot down in B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx" while serving as Waist Gunner. Aircraft sustained damage from flak over the target of Lorient, France and crashed into the Bay of Biscay. Killed in Action (KIA). Crew position verified from crew records of the 303rg Bomb Group website, Gary Moncur, historian.



Participated in 7 Operations (2 were 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

Aircraft

Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jerry Jinx : What's Up Doc
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 42-2966), after a raid on Germany. From left to right they are: Sergeant Ward W. Kirkpatrick (Kalispel, Montana); Technical Sergeant Lucian W. Means, (Luguna Beach, California); First Lieutenant Milton K. Conver (Cincinnatti, Ohio); Second Lieutenant John W Dillenger (Avoca, Iowa), Co-Pilot; Captain B.B. Southworth (Columbus, Ohio), Pilot; Sergeant Jack Belk (Temple, Texas); Sergeant William Fleming (Burdine, Kentu
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: No 11 Combat Crew Replacement Center No 1 Combat Crew Replacement Center 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17 #41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 25 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as an Aerial Gunner aboard B-17F #41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 42-2966, 303BG/427BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #42-2966, 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures force the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Reassigned to Aircraft

21 November 1942 Re-assigned with crew to B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS. Reason not found in available 303BG records.

Other

Mission #2, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK

Other

Mission #5, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Tail Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #7, SGT Luther N. Gross, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS - KIA

23 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24607 "Jerry Jinx", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed into the Bay of Biscay, France and he was killed. KIA

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained flak damage over the target of Lorient, France and crashed into the sea. His remains have never been recovered.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" and to several events to aid readability.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Feb-2016. Added Re- Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-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 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-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 8-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 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 8-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event 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 8-Feb-2016. Added Arrival in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment, arrival in UK event, and Operations participation to Summary Biography; made connections to all Aircraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added SN and KIA event per MACR 15473; Added Role per 303rd Bomb Group website, Gary Moncur, historian; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Edited Biography per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 15473 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Luther M Gross: Gallery (3 items)