William Henry Turcotte

Military
media-17142.png UPL 17142 Photo taken 31 July 1943.
Back, left to right : Rudolph A. Thigpen, Victor Ciganek, Gerald H. Tucker, James A. Bowcock, Jarvis Allen, Albert T. Diminno
Front Left to right : Carl N. Smith, Jack A. Hargis, Capen R. Simons, William H. Turcotte.
Some men are still wearing the dry clothing supplied to them by the British Air Sea Rescue.

Détails about the men in the photo found by Victor Ciganek's daughter in the April 1985 issue of "The Ragged Irregulars" Newsletter.

Object Number - UPL 17142 - Photo taken 31 July 1943. Back, left to right : Rudolph A. Thigpen, Victor Ciganek, Gerald H. Tucker, James A. Bowcock, Jarvis Allen, Albert T....

Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29778. Prisoner of War (POW) at Stalag Luft III, South Compound. Forced march and traveled in train box cars to Stalag VIIA, Moosburg. Liberated by V Armored Division, 7th Army attached to 3rd Army. Flown out in Goonie Bird on VE-Day. 4 return visits to England, last 50 years later to hour & day at Moosburg and all of VE-Day commemoration. Was a reputed taxidermist and birdsong expert (See https://www.mdwfp.com/see-visit/history.aspx )



AM/ ETO w/ 1 star/ POW/ WW II VM

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35430340
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32507462
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-671275
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32392925
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Green Fury
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Destiny's Tot
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Magee, Mississippi 24 January 1917

Enlisted

Jackson, Mississippi, United States 14 March 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Żagań, Poland 9 October 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3 in Poland; forced march to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. NARA's WW II POW records :"Returned to Military control 18/7/1945"...

Died

Richland, Rankin County, Mississippi, United States 5 November 2000

Buried

Mount Salus Cemetery, Clinton, Mississippi, United States

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Linked also to aircraft 42-3119

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 897 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self; Roll of Honor; MACR 897; Contrails & Propwash December 2000, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Biship & Hey p. 192

William Henry Turcotte: Gallery (1 items)