Douglas James Irvine
Military ROLL OF HONOURMACR 4253
Sgt. Douglas James Irvine killed in action on 29 April 1944. He was Born 1 May 1923 in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the second oldest of 9 children. On June 25th 1940, at the age of 17, he immigrated to Vandalia, Montana, where he lived and worked with his cousin Albert Kerr on his cattle ranch. He enlisted in the Army on February 10 1943 in Butte, Montana. He was in the U.S.A.A.F and was a crew member in the 447th Bomb Group and the 711th Bomb Squadron. He was a right waist gunner on the B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed, "GUM CHUM". They went down when a German fighter jet hit the cockpit and KOD 9 crew members. The only surviving crew member was Joe Kotulak, the top turret gunner who bailed out before the aircraft exploded. 2Lt Louis A. Rogers, Johnson's co-pilot for 9 missions, was left at Rattlesden so that 2Lt Robert C. Stevenson could fly a combat orientation sortie before he took his own crew on a mission the next day.
Shot down 29-Apr-44 in B-17 42-97501. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4253
Awards: PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38367805
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31083077
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36159477 / O-811210
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13005271
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-704569
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
Missions
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
1 May 1923 | Son of John A and Ferne E Irvine. The oldest of 9 children. | |
Born |
25 June 1940 - 10 February 1943 | Immigrated to Montana to live and work with his cousin Albert Kerr on his cattle ranch. | |
Enlisted Killed in Action (KIA) |
10 February 1943 - 29 April 1944 | Butte, Montana | |
Died |
29 April 1944 | A German fighter jet hit the cockpit of the B-17 he was on. | |
Buried |
Regina Cemetery Regina, Regina Census Division, Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
Based |
29 April 1944 | Assigned to 711BS, 447BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4253 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database