Emmett J Murphy

Military
media-6380.jpeg UPL 6380 Lowell Watts Crew
388th BG - 562nd BS

Standing Left to Right: Lowell Watts (P), Robert M. Kennedy (CP), Emmett Murphy (N), Edward J. Kelley (B)

Kneeling Left to Right: Joseph B. Ramsey (FE), Raymond Hess (WG), Ivan Finkle (R/O), Robert Sweeney (BTG), Harold A. Brassfield (TG), Donald W. Taylor (WG)

466th BG Historian

Object Number - UPL 6380 - Lowell Watts Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS Standing Left to Right: Lowell Watts (P), Robert M. Kennedy (CP), Emmett Murphy (N), Edward J. Kelley...

On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzin' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen, Holland.

1st mission 11/26/43 Bremen, 25th mission 3/6/44 Berlin. Out of 10 man crew, 6 Prisoner of War (POW)s and 4 Killed in Action (KIA). Prisoner of War (POW) 3/6/44 to 5/1/45. Liberated by Russians. Flown to France by 8th AF B-17s. Discharged 12/31/45. There is a plaque [in the Memorial Garden] covering this.



DFC/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ POW

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16150159
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: waist gunner, Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-742396
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30177) nicknamed "Charlene". Printed caption on reverse: '61552 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Charlene". England. 30 August 1943. Standing left to right are: 2nd Lt John N Harlan, Boise, Idaho; 1st Lt Charles Bliss, Los Angeles, California; 2nd Lt Vernon D Dunkin, Columbus, Ohio; 2nd Lt Bernard J Quenneville, Hadley, Mass. Kneeling left to right: S/Sgt Ro
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Charlene
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron 562nd Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Blitzing Betsy
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Menlo Park, California, USA 25 January 1922

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 6 March 1944 - 1 May 1945 Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12

Other

Shot Down/Captured

Klazienaveen, Netherlands 6 March 1944

Died

Redwood City, CA, USA 3 February 2011

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added POW camp information from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added spaces and commas to "Summary biography" for readability.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3089 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self, MACR 3089, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces

Emmett J Murphy: Gallery (2 items)