Billy James Hooker

Military

Shot down 30 July 1943 in B-17 #42-30202. Evaded (EVD). See the story of his evasion at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fhookerwj.html

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

388th Bomb Group

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

563rd Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Donald Morris Boyd

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12168148
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Robert James Hoke

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-673572
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Orville Winfard Lewis

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 38188080
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Ralph Thadus May

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 34312218
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Harlan Charles Oakberg

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16074184
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

42-30202

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron

Missions

A Dutch soldier surveys the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 381st Bomb Group that has crashed near Apeldoorn. First Handwritten caption on reverse: '381BG, 30/7/43 by Fighters.' Second Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-3100, 381 BG, 532 BS. 3 KM SE of Apeldoorn, 30-7-43 10:45 Hrs. RNAF'

VIII Bomber Command 80

Date: 30 July 1943

Places

Knettishall

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born		29 December 1921	Texas
Other Bailed out		30 July 1943	of B-17 Serial 42-30202, over Belgium
Other landed in parachute	Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium	30 July 1943
Other Evaded capture		30 July 1943 - 20 November 1943	with the help of Belgian and French citizens in the Belgian Comete evasion network. Travelled through Belgium and France, crossing the Pyrénées mountains into Spain on 3 October 1943. Back in England via Gibraltar 20 November 1943
			Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas,

Revisions

Date4 May 2021 12:46:47

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

MACR 3125
Escape & Evasion Report E&E 226 (NARA)
Research for his page at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fhookerwj.html

Date11 Jan 2021 21:41:52

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Updated the label for the Evaded (EVD) event per info in the "Summary biography".

Date27 Sep 2014 18:04:40

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3125 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database