Eldon J Smith
Military
media-19365.jpeg
UPL 19365
"Lt. Eldon J Smith and crew of the 322nd Bomb Sqn, 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, pose beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. 16 August 1943, England".
- 16 August 1943: the 323rd Bomb Sqn, 91st BG supplied 4 birds for a mission to bomb Le Bourget airport. 2 miles short of the French coast, Lt Eldon J Smith & crew, flying B-17F 42-3213 "All American" (coded OR-M) had an explosion aboard their aircraft. Turning back for England, they were forced to ditch 4 miles from land; air-sea rescue quickly retrieved them. They pose here with a life raft and what may be B-17F 42-3079 (coded OR-X), a "no-name" Fortress obtained from the 95th BG.
NARA Ref# 342-FH-3A10546-62742AC.
- 16 August 1943: the 323rd Bomb Sqn, 91st BG supplied 4 birds for a mission to bomb Le Bourget airport. 2 miles short of the French coast, Lt Eldon J Smith & crew, flying B-17F 42-3213 "All American" (coded OR-M) had an explosion aboard their aircraft. Turning back for England, they were forced to ditch 4 miles from land; air-sea rescue quickly retrieved them. They pose here with a life raft and what may be B-17F 42-3079 (coded OR-X), a "no-name" Fortress obtained from the 95th BG.
NARA Ref# 342-FH-3A10546-62742AC.
B-17 #42-3213 ditched in North Sea due to mechanical failure on 16 August 1943. Returned to base.
Shot down 16 September 1943 in B-17 #42-3079, Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32432036
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14043437
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15120044 / O-735059
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
|||
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
France | 16 September 1943 |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 550 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor; MACR 550, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 233-4