Edwin L Matheson

Military

9-Feb-42 Assigned as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK. 303BG records do not indicate that he was in the original complement of aircraft and crews of the 303BG at Molesworth, UK in October 1942. It seems likely that he was part of a replacement crew and was processed through one of the Combat Crew Replacment Centers prior to his assigment with the 303BG.



6-Mar-43 Shot down in B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS. The aircraft crashed into Bay of Biscay off of Penmarch Point after a FW-190 attack that knocked out engines 1 & 2. Copilot and LWG killed instantly. He and the other 7 survived in leaky rafts for 12 hours before a German boat hauled them aboard to become Prisoner of War (POW)s



Participated in 4 Operations (1 was Aborted) See Biography events.

POW

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

The control tower at Thurleigh air base. A B-17 Flying Fortress (WW-G, serial number 42-5729 later nicknamed "Buccaneer") of the 306th Bomb Group is visible in the background. Image via Mike Bowyer A veteran has written on the reverse: 'From Mike Bowyer 3/72 from collection of wing/Co. 76 sqd. Halifax at Home. RAF station WWII.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'WW:G 25729, GY:X.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 9 February 1942 Assigned as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Edwin L. Matheson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 14 February 1943 Served as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Edwin L. Matheson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943 Served as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Edwin L. Matheson, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Brest, France 27 February 1943 Served as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK.

Other

Prisoner of War - Camp 1

Moosburg, Germany 6 March 1943 - 13 October 1943 Held at Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria. 13-Oct-43 Moved to Stalag 17B, Braunau-Gneikendorf (near Krems) Austria.

Other

Mission #4, SSGT Edwin L. Matheson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS - POW

Lorient, France 6 March 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner of B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft was shot down by fighters but the pilot managed to ditch the aircraft into the Bay of Biscay. He and 7 other airmen were able to get in rafts and were eventually captured by the Germans. Two other crew were KIA in the attack.

Other

Prisoner of War - Camp 2

Krems an der Donau, Austria 14 October 1943 - 15 April 1945 Held at Stalag 17B, Braunau-Gneikendorf (near Krems), Austria until liberated by the 3rd Army (Patton) on 15-Apr-45.

Other

Last Report Date - Discharged

7 June 1945 Evacuated to the US after his liberation from Stalag 17B and Discharged from the USAAF.

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added POW Camp2 event per NARA WWII POW database record.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Mar-2016. Added POW Camp 1 event per Stalag 7A records.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Martin E. Ploucher crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360plocher.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Made connections to Aircraft and Missions; Added initial assignment info and Participations statement to Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Martin E. PLoucher crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360plocher.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added Decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; Made connections to Place and Mission wihtin existing website data; Added A/C model letter and Unit association to Description per MACR 15536.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15536 / MACR 15536, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1, pp. 88-89 by Bishop & Hey . 303rd web site mission report. / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database