Russell Joseph Kiggins
Military ROLL OF HONOURAssigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Schweinfurt 14-Oct-43 in B-17 42-29952 'Sizzle'; downed by enemy aircraft, crashed Bosseveldt, near Maastricht, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 917
Awards: AM, PH.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35407658
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-330152
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38313927
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35380603
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19079626 / O-734952
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sizzle
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
Missions
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg.webp?itok=zJwHCUjh)
- Date: 14 October 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Syracuse, NY, USA | 28 March 1921 | Son of Russell and Catherine Kiggins. |
|
Enlisted Killed in Action (KIA) |
Syracuse, NY, USA | 3 August 1942 - 14 October 1943 | |
|
Died |
Maastricht, Netherlands | 14 October 1943 | He and four of his fellow crew members were killed in action and the remaining five were captured and held as prisoners of war as a result of the 305th Bombardment Group's participation in the second raid on Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943 (afterward known as 'Black Thursday' due to the high rate of casualties). The 8th Air Force's raid was an element of 'Operation Pointblank,' which was conducted by the RAF and USAAF. |
|
Buried |
Re-Interred Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands Plot O Row 21 Grave 10 | ||
|
Based |
Chelveston | 14 October 1943 | Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/28598202
https://www.fold3.com/record/86223065-russell-j-kiggins
https://www.fold3.com/record/529872100-russell-j-kiggins
https://www.fold3.com/image/310770920?rec=299532877
https://www.fold3.com/image/108527222?rec=108527336
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155284256/russell-joseph-kiggins
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 917 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database