Billy J Lansford

Military

Billy Lansford was Navigator on B-17 #42-3330, lost on 14 July 1943. Prisoner of War (POW). He served also in Korea and ended his military career as a Major in the USAF.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

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

People

George Franklin Blackwell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33212942
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Francis Monroe Green

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37225023 (and later 16032456)
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
The insignia of the 544th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group.

Lloyd Earl Johnson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37203355
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Frederick Trowbridge Marston

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12012450 and O-736542
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

James Ernest Miles

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18080847
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer / Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-3330

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Texas, United States 12 August 1916

Enlisted

Dallas, Texas, United States 19 March 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

14 July 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3, Sagan/Zagan, Poland. Force-marched from there to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops on 29 April 1945. NARA WWII POW record: “Returned to Military Control 29 May 1945.”

Died

7 December 1965 Texas

Buried

Billy Lansford rests at the Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas

Revisions

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ContributorED-BB
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Sources

NARA WWII POW records

Date
ContributorED-BB
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NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 180-181, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database