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Military
Lt Cogwell and crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group based in England, pose in front Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Shangrila Lil'. 16 July 1943. Rear L-R: S/Sgt Augustus V Brundage, 1Lt John D Kennedy, Capt Robert W Cogswell, 1Lt Hershel R DeWall, 1Lt Edward L Cobb. Front L-R: S/Sgt Paul Kistulentz, S/Sgt Harold R Timm, S/Sgt Paul J Davis, T/Sgt Gilbert E Bengston, S/Sgt Alvin Etheredge.
A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Kicking Horse" of the 303rd Bomb Group takes off with a feathered engine. Handwritten caption on reverse: ''Kicking Horse' of 303BG. Received 7/7/1944.' On reverse: Daily Graphic [Stamp, ref. no. M4226L]. The caption above is incorrect. There was no "Kicking Horse" in the 303rd BG. The plane is actually B-17F 42-5483 "Red Ass." This photo was taken 6 September 1943 as the plane returned from 303rd BG Mission #67 to Stuttgart, Germany. Radio operator Eddie Deerfield wrote in his notes: "Our B17F was Red Ass (42-5483) piloted by Robert Cogswell. A 20mm hit by an enemy fighter knocked out our number 1 engine about 15 minutes after leaving the target. We landed with the prop feathered."
Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Survived a ditching, emergency landing and finally a bale out. Medically grounded after aborting a mission on 26-Sep-43 due to back injuries during the bail-out. Transferred to Squadron/Group Operations.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (4OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME, Korean and UN Service Medal, National Defense and Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Post war: Remained in USAF seving in Korean War, rising to Major, was lost in B-29A 44-61940, set upon by Migs and with a damaged engine headed out into and crashed in the Yellow Sea posted MIA 23-Oct-51, presumed dead on 28-Feb-54 Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer | 303rd Bomb Group
On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived, with serious injury only to...
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. On 30-Jul-43, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived,...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On 30-Jul-43, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived, with serious injury only to...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
Credited with 30 missions. First on 10-Jul-43 to Poux, France. Last on 11-May-44 to Saarbrucken, Germany. Flew most often with Captain Robert Cogswell at controls of B-17 Flying Fortress 'Iza Vailable'.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
13 x missions, last on 27-Aug-43. On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived,...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived, with serious injury only to...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived, with serious injury only to...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
10 x missions, last on 27-Aug-43. On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived,...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
On 30 July 1943, crashed into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe, England on return from raid on Kassel, Germany in B-17 #42-29738 'Upstairs Maid'. Picked up by British Air Sea Rescue and returned to base. All survived, with serious injury only to...
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/2/43; Walker 23/2/43; Smoky 28/3/43; Kearney 25/4/43; Wendover 2/5/43; Kearney 21/5/43; Dow Fd 27/5/43; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-U] Podington 1/6/43; Thorpe Abbotts 9/6/43; transferred 360BS/303BG [PU-I] Molesworth 13/7/43;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12/2/43; Rapid City 22/2/43; Kearney 12/3/43.
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/12/42; Morrison 6/2/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-J] Molesworth 6/3/43; crash landed Alresford, Hants., UK, 26/9/43 with Bob Cogswell [injured in crash], Co-pilot: Dallas Kendall, Navigator: Ed Cobb, Bombardier: Frank Kulesa, Flight...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/12/42; Salina 10/1/43; Homestead 17/2/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] Molesworth 7/3/43 RED ASS; transferred 427BS; 5m* Missing in Action Bremen 29/11/43 with Finis Brumbeloe, Co-pilot: Donnell Marsh, Navigator: Jim Groves, Flight...
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Pittsburgh, PA, USA | 17 August 1918 |
| Enlisted | Pittsburgh, PA, USA | 3 February 1941 |
| Based | Molesworth | 1943 – 26 September 1943 |
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Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Flying duties. |
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| Ditched | 22 miles off Felixstowe, UK | 30 July 1943 |
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Ditched into North Sea 22 miles off Felixstowe 30-Jul-43 rescued ASR 10 x RTD. B-17 42-29738 'Upstairs Maid' |
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| Emergency landing | RAF Manston, Ramsgate CT12 5BB, UK | 27 August 1943 |
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Battle damaged - emergency belly landing at Manston, Kent 27-Aug-43 10 RTD. B-17F 42-2973 'Iza Vailable' |
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| Baled out WIA | New Alresford, Alresford SO24, UK | 26 September 1943 |
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Mission abort, full bomb load propellor run away on #4, engine afire, ordered crew bale out, stayed with A/C to ensure it missed Alresford. Late Bale out caused torn back ligaments. WIA 26-Sep-43 B-17 42-5434 'Lady Luck' |
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| Hospitalised | Winchester, UK | 26 September 1943 – 1944 |
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Hospitalised in body cast, back ligament damage. |
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| Based | Molesworth | 1944 – 1944 |
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Transferred to Squadron/Group Operations. |
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| Died | Yellow Sea | 23 October 1951 |
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KIA in a B-29 crash in the Yellow Sea. |
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| Buried | Korean War Veterans Memorial, 130 Riverside Dr, Dayton, OH 45405, USA | 1955 |
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Body never recovered |
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