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Loyd D Griffin

Military

  • Captain Griffin and lead crew on bombing mission to Villa Coublay, France, beside Boeing B-17,

    Captain Griffin and lead crew on bombing mission to Villa Coublay, France, beside Boeing B-17, "Flying Fortress" "Lady Luck". 303rd Bomb Group. England, 14 July 1943. L-R: S/Sgt Edwards, Swanson, Capt Griffin, 1Lt Effinger, Lt Taylor. L-R: T/Sgt Eason, S/Sgt Henderson, T/Sgt Schwartz, S/Sgt Wiegand, S/Sgt Plummer.

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  • Lead crew on bombing mission to Huls, Germany pose In front of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. 303rd Bomb Group, England. 22 June 1943. Standing L-R: 1Lt Nathan J Rosenblum, 1Lt Milton S Fonorow, Maj William R Calhoun, Capt Lloyd D Griffin, 1Lt William M Preston, 1Lt Walter C Swanson. Kneeling L-R: S/Sgt Samuel L Edwards, T/Sgt William M Eason, S/Sgt Lynewood D Wiegand, S/Sgt Paul E Henderson, S/Sgt Robert Plummer, T/Sgt Vernon Schwartz.

    Lead crew on bombing mission to Huls, Germany pose In front of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. 303rd Bomb Group, England. 22 June 1943. Standing L-R: 1Lt Nathan J Rosenblum, 1Lt Milton S Fonorow, Maj William R Calhoun, Capt Lloyd D Griffin, 1Lt William M Preston, 1Lt Walter C Swanson. Kneeling L-R: S/Sgt Samuel L Edwards, T/Sgt William M Eason, S/Sgt Lynewood D Wiegand, S/Sgt Paul E Henderson, S/Sgt Robert Plummer, T/Sgt Vernon Schwartz.

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13-Jun-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 42-5434 [PU-J] "Lady Luck" 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. The date of his arrival at Molesworth, UK nor the aircraft on which he arrived there could not be determined from 303BG records. His first comat mission was as Pilot of B-17F 24-5723, 303BG/360BS on 26-Feb-43 but mechanical failures of the aircraft forced him to abort the sortie.

Mission Participations (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.

Service

Units served with

  • 8th Air Force

    8th Air Force


    Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...

  • 303rd Bomb Group

    303rd Bomb Group

    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...

  • 360th Bomb Squadron

    360th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-5262

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 27-Oct-42; Bury 6-Dec-42; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] Molesworth 29-Jan-43; Missing in Action Lorient 6-Mar-43. Shot down by enemy aircraft, crashed into the Bay of Biscay, off Penmarch Point. 2KIA 8POW Missing Air Crew Report 15536. ...

  • 42-5434 "BOB’S BOUDOIR", Lady Luck

    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...

  • 42-5483 'THE DEVIL HIMSELF' aka 'RED ASS'

    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...

  • 42-5723

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    B-17F-5-VE 42-5723 [PU:D] was delivered Long Beach 30-Sep-42; Tulsa 4-Oct-42; Wayne 5-Nov-42; Salina 27-Nov-42; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-D] at Molesworth, UK 13-Feb-43; battle damaged over Vegasak on 18-Mar-43 crash landed with wheels up in field four...

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 37

    26 February 1943
    After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities...

  • VIII Bomber Command 39

    4 March 1943
    After several weather-caused aborted attempts in attacking the marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, the 8th Air Force is finally successful in attacking this target. A total of 71 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (18); 305BG (12) amd 306BG (21)....

  • VIII Bomber Command 41

    8 March 1943
    The railroad marshalling yards at Rennes and Rouen, France are the primary targets for this mission. A formation comprised of 67 B-17s: 91BG (14); 303BG (19); 305BG (16) and 306BG (18) is despatched to bomb at Rennes. Conditions are good with no cloud...

  • VIII Bomber Command 43

    13 March 1943
    The railroad marshalling yards at Amiens/Longeau, France are the primary target for this mission but the rail line at Romescamps, the German airfield at Abbevile/Drucat and two other targets of opportunity are also bombed. 80 B-17s are despatched: 91BG...

  • VIII Bomber Command 45

    18 March 1943
    The U-Boat pens at Vegesack-Bremen are the primary target of this mission. 76 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (18); 303BG (20); 305BG (18) and 306BG (20). These are joined by 17 B-24's: 44BG (9) and 93BG (15). Of the 103 aircraft despatched 97 are effective...

  • VIII Bomber Command 46

    22 March 1943
    The U-Boat pens and harbour facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany are the primary target for this mission. 76 B-17's are despatched: 91BG (21); 303BG (18); 305BG (18); and 306BG (19). These are joined by 26 B-24's: 44BG (12) and 93BG (14). Of this force...

  • VIII Bomber Command 47

    28 March 1943
    The railroad marshalling yards at Rouen/Sotteville are the primary target. 79 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (22); 303BG (18); 305BG (19); 306BG (20). Of the 79 B-17's despatched 70 are effecrive on the target. One B-17 is MIA and 9 are damaged. The bomber...

  • VIII Bomber Command 48

    31 March 1943
    The shipyards ar Rotterdam, Holland are the primary target. 78 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (19) and 306BG (19). The weather prevents bombing by 91BG and 306BG reducing the total effective on the target to 33 of the 78 despatched....

Associated Place

  • Molesworth

    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...

Events

Event Location Date
Assigned to Aircraft Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 13 June 1942

Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 42-5432 "Lady Luck", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Mission #1, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS - Aborted Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943

Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK.
Mission 2, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS Rotterdam, Netherlands 4 March 1943

Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterrdam, Holland. RTB OK.
Mission #3, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS Rennes, France 8 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rennes, France. RTB OK
Mission #4, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS Amiens, France 13 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. RTB OK.
Mission #5, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS - RTD Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany 18 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat construction yars at Vegesack, Germany. The aircraft sustained battel damage but he managed to fly the crippled aircraft back to England and made a wheels-up crash landing in a field. He was not injured and Returned to Duty (RTD). The aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) and salvaged.
Mission #6, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS Wilhelmshaven, Germany 22 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5434 "Lady Luck", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and Ub-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.
Mission #7, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS Rouen, France 28 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5434 "Lady Luck", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK.
Mission #8, 1LT Loyd D. Griffin, w/B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS Rotterdam, Netherlands 31 March 1943

Served as Pilot fo B-17F 42-5434 "Lady Luck", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK.
Nationality
American
Nickname
Not yet known
Service numbers
O-407085
Highest rank
Captain
Role/job
Pilot
Awards
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
31 January 2018 18:24:43 Al_Skiff Changes to middlename and unit associations
Sources

Key Image ID.
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 23:57:41 Lee8thbuff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Made connection to Aircraft 42-5434
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:37:23 Lee8thbuff Changes to aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Made connections to Aircraft 42-5483 and Missions of 8-Mar-43, 13-Mar-43, 18-Mar-43, 22-Mar-43, 28-Mar-43 and 31-Mar-43 per 303BG website, Gary Mhttp://www.303rdbg.com/
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:32:29 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Corrected Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:30:29 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Corrected Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:25:25 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Corrected Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:21:22 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Corrected Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 20:17:14 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Corrected Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 20:14:08 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-43. Correcting typo in Assigned to Aircraft event note.
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:54:47 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-2016. Corrected Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 8-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/021.pdf
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:50:40 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:48:34 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:44:32 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:40:01 Lee8thbuff Changes to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-43. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Loyd D. Griffin crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360griffin.html
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:37:34 Lee8thbuff Changes to biography
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-43. Added Summary Biography pere 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Loyd D. Griffin crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360griffin.html
Date Contributor Update
28 February 2016 19:26:15 Lee8thbuff Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Feb-2016. Added NEW Person entry per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Loyd D. Griffin crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360griffin.html

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