George Dean Miller

Military

Served as a Radio Operator on several B-17s assigned to 303BG/427BS. 303BG records do not indicate when he was assigned to a crew in the United States or when he might have arrived at Molesworth. It is possible that he was only used as an alternate RO when the regular RO assigned to the aircraft was not available. He would have been assigned to ground duties as a regular assignment.



4-Feb-43 Shot down in B-17F #41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS while serving as a substitute Radio Operator. 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, including TSGT Miller, were pulled from the water by the Dutch fishermen and then turned over to the Germans and became Prisoners of War (POW).



Participated in 7 Operations (2 were aborted) See Biography events.

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
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Susfu
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Captain Albert W. Dieffenback, a bombardier of the 303rd Bomb Group, admires Bugs Bunny painted onto the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 9 May 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '14. Captain Albert W. Dieffenbach, of Garrett Park, Md., and the bomber in which he flies as group bombardier.' On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamp].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: S For Sugar
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Orafino, NB 8 February 1916

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24584, 303BG/427BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

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

Other

Mission #7, SSGT Gordon D. Miller, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - POW

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Served as substitute Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany. Pilot was forced to turn back becaus of frozen guns and the aircraft was attacked by German fighters over Holland. The pilot crashlanded on the ebach of the Waddenzee and he was captured as a Prisoner of War. (POW)

Other

Prisoner of War

Krems an der Donau, Austria 4 February 1943 - 15 April 1945 Held as Stalag 17B Braunau-Gneikendorf (near Krems) Austria until liberated by US forces 15-Apr-45>

Other

Last Report Date (Discharged)

10 August 1945 Discharged on 10-Aug-1945 in the United States.

Died

20 October 1997

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://303rdbg.com/rost-m.html#M / widow, Frances Miller; MACR 15348, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 73, 303rd web site mission report.

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015 Added NOTE to Biography for COMBINATION of adat from duplicate entry of Paul Andrews Project Bit and Pieced, added decorations per those described in original Biography ingest data.

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; corrected SN per MACR 15348; made connections to Place, AIrcraft and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position to Biography per 303rd Bomb Group website record, historian, Gary Moncur.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added the words "Possible DUPLICATE" in the nickname field so an admin can check out this person.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Changed first name to George from Gordon per MACR 15348. Also changed S/N and rank per MACR 15348.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Lloyd R. Cole, the pilot of A/C 41-24569.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Added Last Report Date event per NARA WWII POW database records.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Added POW event per NARA WWII POW database records.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-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 22-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 22-Feb-2016. Added particiations statement to Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Added loss details to Summary Biography per "Losses of the 8ht & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-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 19-Jan-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 19-Jan-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 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Correcting typo in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016. Added New Person entry per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Personnel records: http://www.303rdbg.com/