Albert Henry Downs

Military
A bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ol' Gappy". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Old Gappy crew - see file.' media-413435.jpg FRE 4751 A bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ol' Gappy". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Old Gappy crew - see file.'

Co-Pilot (far right facing) is Albert H. Downs Roger Freeman Collection

This is my grandfather Albert H. Downs-

Object Number - FRE 4751 - A bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ol' Gappy". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Old Gappy crew - see...

Albert H. Downs served as a co-pilot with the 524th Bomb Squadron of the 379th Bomb Group, flying missions out of Kimbolton, England.



'Association records for Albert H. Downs show he flew 38 missions as co-pilot with the 524th Squadron from December 30, 1943 to June 18, 1944. Our records show mission numbers 53, 55, 56, 59, 64, 74, 83, 84, 86, 87, 88, 90, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 101, 102, 104, 108, 111, 115, 116, 117, 119, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 133, 134, 135, 136, 144, and 145. Lt Downs may have flown additional missions, but these are the ones we have in our records.'



See: http://www.379thbga.org/Looking4_1450-1441.htm

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-0003) nicknamed "Ol' Gappy". Printed caption on reverse: '.'70915 AC A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses in front of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Ol' Gappy" at an 8th Air Force base in England on 12 June 1944.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: TOPPER/ Ol Gappy
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

6 June 1920

Enlisted

17 December 1942 Seattle, Washington

Died

22 July 1959

Revisions

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

NARA files verified ASN upon entry, Flight Officer number of T-12194, DFC and AM w/3 Oak Leaf Clusters during World War II. He earned at least one bronze star device on the EAME Campaign Medal. He continued service during the Korean War, earning his 4th and 5th Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

379th Bombardment Group (H) Anthology, 1942-45; p. 160. / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Albert Henry Downs: Gallery (1 items)