Murel A Murphy
Military
Left to Right:
S/Sgt Willam C. Mulgrew, Ball Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Richard C. Fortunak, Left Waist Gunner;
T/Sgt Roman R. Zaorski, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Murel A. Murphy, Right Waist Gunner;
Captain Robert J. Yonkman, Bombardier;
Lt. Colonel William A. Hatcher, Co-Pilot (CO of the 351st Bomb Group);
Captain William R. Calhoun, Pilot;
1st Lt Joseph M. Strickland, Navigator;
T/Sgt Charles R. Terry, Radio Operator;
S/Sg Willard W. Stephen, Tail Gunner;
Captain Clark Gable, Top Gunner.
(Official USAAF photo)
Added photo
Object Number - UPL 19299 - The crew of 41-24635 on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium. Left to Right: S/Sgt...
1-Jul-42 Assigned as a Waist Gunner on B-17F #41-24581 [BN-O],"The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico and arrived aboard that aircraft at Molesworth, UK on 21-Oct-42.
On 20-Dec-42 he baled out of B-17F #41-24581 'The 8 Ball' over England while serving as Right Waist Gunner upon return of the aircraft from a mission to Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The Pilot and Co-Pilot crash-landed at Bovingdon. Uninjured - RTD.
3-Jan-43 Assigned as the Right Waist Gunner on B-17F #41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" Mission participation (See Biography events UNDER CONSTRUCTION).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 26 February 1943
- Date: 14 February 1943
- Date: 2 February 1943
![The crew of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23778) nicknamed "Jenny", of the 44th Bomb Group, return to Shipdham following a raid on Germany, 29 January 1943.
The insignia attached to the breast of several crew members jackets has been censored.
Image stamped on reverse: 'Barratt's Photo Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 29 Jan 1943.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'First American raid on Germany. Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the U.S. Army Air Corps Carried out their first r](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379072.jpg.webp?itok=arU0mR30)
- Date: 27 January 1943
- Date: 23 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA | 1 July 1942 | Assigned as a Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball" at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo New Mexico. |
|
Other Arrived in UK. |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 21 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as a Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS. |
|
Other Mission #1, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
17 November 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #2, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
18 November 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS 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 #3, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #4, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #5, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The aircraft sustained battle damage but the pilot MAJ Romig managed to fly the aircraft back to England. SSGT Fortunak was ordered to bale out over the English countryside. P MAJ Romig and CP CPT Calhoun stayed with the aircraft and made a crashlandidng at USAAF Station Bovington. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but MAJ Romig and CPT Calhoun were not injured and returned to Molesworth the next day. |
|
Other Mission #6, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" 303BG/359BS 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 #7, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #8, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #9, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24605, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 27 January 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24605 "Knock-out Dropper" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #10, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #11, SGT Murel A. Murphy, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Recalled |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II" 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK. |
|
Born |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the 3 A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Made connections to Missions of 27-Jan-43, 2-Feb-43, 14Feb-43 and 26-Feb-43 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Made Mission connections within existing website data.
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Willaim R. Calhoun crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Willaim R. Calhoun crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK and 3-Jan-43 assignment to Summary Biography; made connections to all missions through 3-Jan-43 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK and 3-Jan-43 assignment to Summary Biography; made connections to all missions through 3-Jan-43 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2014. Edited biography for clarity; added connections to Place, AIrcraft and Mission within existing website data.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol.1 by Bishop and Hey p. 55, 303rd web site for personel info