Richard Gaskell

Military

Richard Gaskell was Pilot of B-17G #42-31191 'Virginia Lee' on the 27 March 1943 mission to Bordeaux/Merignac airfield. Hit by German fighters, crash-landed on the beach at Le Porge-Océan, near Laruau (Gironde), France. Made Prisoner of War (POW)

Connections

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Units served with

447th Bomb Group

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

710th Bomb Squadron

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

People

Modesto A Gonzales

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 18016065 at enlistment, then O-755011
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Joseph Herman Koenig

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 37652344
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator/Gunner

Raymond Charles Koorenny

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 39454700 at enlistment, then O-692881
Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Edwin Stanley Pankhurst

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 38274314
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Albert Harlan Ross

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 15117473
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

42-31191

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Virginia Lee
Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron

Missions

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31330) of the 452nd Bomb Group releases its bombs over an airdrome in Bordeaux. Printed caption on reverese: '61732 AC- BOMBS AWAY!!!! A Beoing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 452nd Bomb Group releases its bombs on the Nazi airdrome, Bordeaux, France, as the air offensive against the enemy reaches an all time high. 27 March 1944. US Air Force Photo.'

8th Air Force 282

Date: 27 March 1944

Places

Rattlesden

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Date	Description
Enlisted	9 January 1942	Boston, Massachusetts
Other Prisoner of War (POW)	27 March 1944	captured shortly after crash-landing in the Gironde Department, France.
Born		Massachusetts

Event

Location

Date

Description

Enlisted

9 January 1942

Boston, Massachusetts

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

27 March 1944

captured shortly after crash-landing in the Gironde Department, France.

Born

Massachusetts

Revisions

Date25 Mar 2019 14:58:21

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
Escape & Evasion Reports E&E 2062, 2063 and 2064
NOTE : The crew didn't bale out. All 10 left the plane after crash-landing !

Date27 Sep 2014 18:22:22

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3546 / MACR 3546, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database