Ernest Thomas Moriarty
MilitaryEnlisted 26 June 1941 and was in the 34th BG Westover Field, MA; went to Pendlton Field, OR from Westover with 34th on transfer. Applied for and sent to AM school Yakima, WA. Finished school and transferred to the 306th at Wendover.
He was an Engineer/TTG in the 96th BG and completed 25 missions with One Round Robin to Russia, Italy and return to England with one crackup on landing and one crack up on the next takeoff.
Shot down 8 March 1943 in B-17F #41-24514, 306BG/368BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by an FW-190 after Spitfire escort left while on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rennes, France. Plane was at the tail end of the low squadron. Only the pilot was lost. The aircraft crashed at Colline, Savron-sur-Vilvaine, France. Other crew members became POWs. He was one of the last out of the plane as he kept firing his gun. He parachuted and made a landing in a French field where workers helped him. He successfully evaded and was returned to London in one of the quickest returns recorded. He completed 9 missions prior to being shot down. He transferred to the 96th BG and completed a 25 mission tour which included diversions to Russia and Italy. He later wrote of his experiences in 'One Mission Into 23'. In civilian life he was a long haul trucker with Specter Freight.
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- 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: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-789754
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-062106
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-789381
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15069779
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37059997
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 8 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Winchendon, Massachusetts | 21 February 1922 | |
Other Evaded Capture EVD |
8 March 1943 - 2 April 1943 | Bailed out and evaded capture returning to England on 2-Apr-43. His evasion report may be viewed at: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-41.pdf | |
Died |
31 March 2000 | Worcester, Massachusetts |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Flagged as DUPLICATE due to origianl ingest of data from multiple sources. The correct entry is listed as Ernest T. Moriartry.
Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Added EVD event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) Escape & Evasion Report # 41: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-41.pdf; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Edited Summary Biography with A/C model letter and unit association; added target information per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE and MACR 6088.
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; MACR 6088, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 89, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp.76-78, Combat Sup, 1996 34th BG Roster, Snetterton Falcons, pg 187, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia