John A Castle
Military17-Feb-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as pilot of "Thumper".
As Pilot of B-17F #41-24579 "Thumper" on 23-Jan-1943 he had to make a crash-landing at Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset, UK because the aircraft sustained severe damage on the mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. 1KOM, 4WIA 6RTD. No MACR issued. 2LT Castle Returned to Duty (RTD) after this incident and flew 2 more operations. At some point he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, but 303BG records on thier website do not indicate when his promotion occured. Last operation was on 16-Apr-43. 303BG records do not record why he didn't fly any more missions after that date.
Participated in 8 Operations (2 aborted) UNDER CONSTRUCTION See Biography events.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17035019
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner; Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727126
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15084160
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12044588
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 17 November 1942
- Official Description:
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Boise, ID, USA | 17 February 1942 | Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. |
|
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 | Arrived at Moelsworth, UK as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS. |
|
Other Mission #1, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 18 November 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS |
23 November 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #4, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb carriaged and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #5, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Returned to Duty (RTD) |
Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset BS40, UK | 23 January 1943 | Was serving as pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" 303BG/360BS when the aircraft sustained battle damage and made a crash-landing at Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset, UK. |
|
Other Mission #6, 2LT John A. Castle, w/B-17F 42-24579, 303BG/360BS - RTB, AC DBR |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK but aircraft had sustained battle damage, made a crash landing at Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset, UK and was DBR. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html
Lee Cunningham 31-Jan-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html
Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Made connections to all mission participations (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added initial assignment, arrival in UK and Mission participation statement to Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html
Lee Cunningham 12-Feb-2015. New Entry. Sources: "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE and the 303rd Bomb Group website historian Gary Moncur.