Robert P Driggs

Military

1-May-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Bosie, Idaho. 12-Oct-42 Re-assigend to B-17F 41-24569 [GN-V], "Memphis Tot" 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Memphis Tot"



Shot down 4 February 1943 in B-17F 41-24569 'Memphis Tot' while serving as Navigator. The mission target was Osnabruck, Germany, but crew reported guns didn't work so crew turned back. Fighters attacked and Cpt Cole crash landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. Plane broke in two in contact with the water. Surviving crew were pulled from the water by the enemy and became Prisoner of War (POW)s. Driggs was originally placed in Stalag 7A then moved to work camps. He was released from the work camp at Munich



Participated in 7 Operations (4 were aborted) See Biography events.

POW

Connections

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

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-421603
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down near Zwolle. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124569. Memphis Tot. SD. 4/2/43. 427BS. Near Zwolle.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Memphis Tot
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Re-assigned to Aircraft

Bangor, ME, USA 12 October 1942 Re-assigned as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 22 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK Navigator aboard B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carraige and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failure forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yard at Rouen, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failure forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 2 February 1943 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but severe cold weather forced Wing Command to recall the formation. RTB OK

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Moosburg, Germany 4 February 1943 - 24 July 1945 Held at Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria. Officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 24-Jul-45

Other

Mission #7, 2LT Robert P. Driggs, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - POW

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Served as Navigator of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany. Forzen guns forced the pilot to turn back and the aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft over Holland. He baled out and was captured as a Priasoner of War. POW.

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 2042 Assigned as Navigator of B-17 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Born

New York State

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the pilot Lloyd R. Cole.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Correctin typo in Mission event notes.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Corrected crew position in Arrived in Uk event note.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Re-Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK to Summary Biography; Made connections to all missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; made connections to PLace, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position to Biography per 303rd Bomb Group website, historian Gary Moncur.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15348 / MACR 15348, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 73, NARA web site , 303rd web site mission report / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database