Charles Robert Terry

Military
media-19299.png UPL 19299 The crew of 41-24635 on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium.

Left to Right:
S/Sgt Willam C. Mulgrew, Ball Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Richard C. Fortunak, Left Waist Gunner;
T/Sgt Roman R. Zaorski, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner;
S/Sgt Murel A. Murphy, Right Waist Gunner;
Captain Robert J. Yonkman, Bombardier;
Lt. Colonel William A. Hatcher, Co-Pilot (CO of the 351st Bomb Group);
Captain William R. Calhoun, Pilot;
1st Lt Joseph M. Strickland, Navigator;
T/Sgt Charles R. Terry, Radio Operator;
S/Sg Willard W. Stephen, Tail Gunner;
Captain Clark Gable, Top Gunner.

(Official USAAF photo)

Added photo

Object Number - UPL 19299 - The crew of 41-24635 on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium. Left to Right: S/Sgt...

1-Jul-42 Assigned as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 [BN-O] "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS at Alamogordo, New Mexico and arrived at Molesworth aboard that aircraft on 21-Oct-42.



On 20-Dec-42 he baled out of B-17F 41-24581 'The 8 Ball' over England while serving as Radio Operator upon return of the aircraft from a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The Pilot and Co-Pilot crash-landed at Bovingdon. Uninjured - RTD.



3-Jan-43 Assigned as Radio Operator of B-17F 41-24635 'The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS. Mission participation (See Biography events UNDER CONSTRUCTION)



After the war became an instructor at Elsworth Air Force base.

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

Aircraft

Staff Sergeant Richard C. Fortunak of the 303rd Bomb Group, checks his machine gun on his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 25 Jan 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Staff Sgt. Richard C. Fortunak, 1260 West 17th Avenue, Gary, Ind., Waist Gunner in a Fortress, which he and his crew mates have named "Hoosier Kid", adjusts gun in his turret. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Cens
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The 8 Ball
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The 8 Ball MK II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 1 July 1942 Assigned as Radio Operator of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 21 October 1942 Arrived as Molesworth, UK on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS.

Other

Mission #1, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK

Other

Mission #2, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS 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 #4, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 23 November 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/358BS - Aborted

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #7, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/358BS - BO/RTD

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The aircraft sustained abttle damage, but the pilot, MAJ Romig managed to fly the aircraft back to England. TSGT Terry was ordered to bale out over the English countryside. MAJ Romig and CPT Calhoun staryed with the aircraft and made a crashlanding at USAAF Station Bovington. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but MAJ Roming and CPT Calhoun were not injured and returned to Molesworth the next day. BO/RTD

Other

Mission#8, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/358BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie.

Other

Mission#9, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/358BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #10, TSGT Charles R. Terry, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/358BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 27 January 1943 Served as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Died

Rapid City, SD 24 April 2010
Dryden, NY

Revisions

Date
ContributorNormaze3
Changes
Sources

8th AF news - June 2010

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Made connections to missions of 27-Jan-43, 2-Feb-43, 4-Feb-43, 14-Feb-43 and 26-Feb-43 per 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2015. Added Mission #9 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 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission REport of 3-Jan-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission REport of 3-Jan-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added assignment to 41-24635 to Sumary Biography, made connection to 41-24635 and added 3-Jan-43 mission per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 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 14-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 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 14-Dec-2015. Added Arrived at UK event per 303BG website, Gary Monvur, Historian, William R. Calhoun crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Monvur, Historian, William R. Calhoun crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Dec-2015. Edited Summary Biography with assignment and arrival data; made connections to all mission through 20-Dec-42, per 303BG Mission Reports, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2014. Edited biography for clarity; added connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol.1 by Bishop and Hey p. 55, 303rs web site personnel record

Charles Robert Terry: Gallery (1 items)