Philip Wd Mantor

Military

He served with the Royal Sussex Regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1942. On 11 January 1943 he joined the US Army Air Corps. He reported to the group on 31 May 1943. HE was the 120th EM to complete tour. Phillip volunteered for a 2nd tour of duty and was assigned as a Ball Turret Gunner with the 97th Bomb Group, 341st Squadron at Ammendola Field in Foggia, Italy. He was honorably discharged on 2 Sept. 1945. On 11 April 1950 he re-enlisted in the USAF and served with the 345th Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomb Wing (M) in Korea. On 14 October 1951, Mantor was returning to Yokota Air Base, Japan from a leaflet dropping mission over Korea when the No. 1 engine of his B-29 feathered without warning. The pilot attempted to circle the base without success. In the crash, Mantor received multiple skull fractures and died immediately. He was the central fire control gunner for the B-29.



2 PH, DFC, AM w/3OLC

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im

97th Bomb Group

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

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Portland, Oregon 9 January 1922

Died

14 October 1951

Buried

Revisions

Date
Contributornylandscoins
Changes
Sources

When Philip volunteered for his 2nd tour of duty he was assigned to my grandpa's crew with the 97th 341st as a ball turret gunner. They were at Ammendola Field in Foggia Italy. I have the crew assignment and crew photo if it can be uploaded I will share it. I also have a couple of links reference his Korean War service. Philip was actually on his 2nd tour of duty during Korean War when he was killed.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

306th BGA Collection; Russell Strong Index Cards, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49254242; National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…