Charles Cecil Finch

Military

Charles Finch was Top Turret gunner on B-17F #42-3029 "Wallaroo", shot down by Flak on mission to V-weapons site at Le Meillard, France on 14 January 1944. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

303rd Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

358th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Karl Barnett Arundale

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16061078 / O-742551
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

James F Barlow

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-752544
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Robert Lee Clink

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 13084785
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Richard Andrew Davis

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 18118979
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

James Tracy Elovich

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 31192480
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

Ground personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group prepare to load bombs into a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Wallaroo". Passed as censored, then marked 'Confidential' 27 Aug 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '303. 27-8-43 A.' On reverse: 'Confidential Until Re-Classified By Censor' and US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamps].

42-3029

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Wallaroo
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Aerial photograph of the east end of Molesworth airfield looking north, the control tower and two T2 hangars are right of the vertical runway, 5 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/889. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Stalag Luft IV

Site type: Prisoner of war camp
Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Grove Hill, Alabama, USA	5 December 1920
Enlisted		5 October 1942	Ft McClellan, Anniston, Alabama
Other Prisoner Of War (POW)		14 January 1944	Interned Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow/Tychow, Poland. NARA WWII POW database : " Returned to military control (RMC) 1 June 1945."
Died		18 November 1962
			Grove Hill, Clarke County, Alabama
Buried			Charles Finch rests at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Jackson, Alabama

Revisions

Date2 Jul 2021 15:19:36

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added an association to Stalag Luft 4 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date1 Jun 2020 13:51:02

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

Connected other crew members on 42-3029

Date1 Jun 2020 13:49:39

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft Card
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File

Date1 Jun 2020 12:11:58

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

MACR # 1965

Date27 Sep 2014 18:05:30

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1965 / MACR 1965, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Roster / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database