Edward Tracey

Military

Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 19-Jun-44 in B-17 42-40002 'Breezing Home'. Evaded for two months, then was captured and became a Prisoner of War (POW). Moved to a hospital in Angoulême by the Luftwaffe and a few weeks later was freed there by the French who liberated the town. Flown back from Limoges, France to England on 3 September 1944.

See the page with details about his evasion at https://www.evasioncomete.be/ftraceyed.html

Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x battle Stars).

Connections

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

Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

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

People

William Whittfield Trimble

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-36895
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

A crashed B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group. Image via R Bowers. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Home on two engines.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '"Breezing Home" IY-D, 42-40002. 401 BG.'

42-40002

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Breezing Home
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

Rochester, NY 19 August 1942 Rochester, New York

Other

Evaded

France 19 June 1944 - 1 September 1944 Baled out. Evaded capture for 2 months.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

4 August 1944 - 1 September 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Held in hospital by Luftwaffe. Liberated at Angoulême, back in England on 3 September 1944

Died

Macedon, New York, United States 2 July 1992

Buried

Rochester, NY 5 July 1992 Rochester, New York

Born

Rochester, New York, USA

Based

Deenethorpe 19 June 1944 Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added address for his page at website www.evasioncomete.be

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28653034
https://www.fold3.com/record/86020223/edward-tracey-wwii-army-enlistmen…
http://401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=961
http://401bg.org/Main/History/Crews/Details.aspx?CrewId=13501

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6001 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / son,

href="http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=961">http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=961>