George Vernon Stallings

Military
media-31542.jpeg UPL 31542 Lt Stallings and crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, based in England, pose in front of Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Thumper Again". 20 July 1943.

Rear L-R: 1Lt James F Kelley, 1Lt George V Stallings, 1Lt Joseph E Bradbury, 1Lt Frank E. Kulesa.
Front L-R: T/Sgt Meyer Levin, T/Sgt Arthur S Stevens, Sgt Walter K Pallage, S/Sgt John J Stickler, S/Sgt Lawrence C Pierson, S/Sgt Robert H Yattaw, T/Sgt James A Watson.

Object Number - UPL 31542 - Lt Stallings and crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, based in England, pose in front of Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Thumper Again"....

20-Mar-43 Assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17 42-5393 "Thumper Again", 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK with the rank of First Lieutenant.



25-Jun-43 While serving as Pilot of B-17 42-5486 "Quinine The Bitter Dose", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards and submarine construction yards at Hamburg, Germany the aircraft was attacked by German fighters killing the Radio Operator, TSGT Dick W. Jones and badly damaging the aircraft. Cpt Stallings managed to fly the crippled aircraft back to England where he ordered the crew to bail out near Coltishall, Norfolk. After the crew bailed out CPT Stallings turned the aircraft eastward toward the sea and abandoned the aircraft a short distance from the shoreline at Waxham, Norfolk. He came down in his parachute in the water but managed to free himself and swim to the shore. NO MACR was issued for this loss. Returned to Duty (RTD).



Awards: DFC (British), DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728560
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16068920
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-?
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13040917
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner, Togglier

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24559) nicknamed "Old Soljer" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed as censored 25 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 "Old Soljer". 25 Jan 1943.' Printed caption attached: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Side view of Fortress. This one's been named "Old Soljer" by her crew, who have painted the name on the side of the fuselage, as shown here. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, As
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Two airmen of the 303rd Bomb Group admire the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Iza Vailable". Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Keystone Press Agency, 'Sacred' and U.S. Official Photograph O.W.I. [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Iza Vailable
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Ground personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group prepare to load bombs and ammunition into a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Satan's Workshop". Passed as censored, then marked as 'Confidential' 27 Aug 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG.' On reverse: 'Confidential Until Re-Classified By Censor' and US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Satan's Workshop
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Just For Laughs, Little Woman, Thumper Again
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 100th Bomb Group 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

New York City, NY 4 February 1918 Son of Adelaide Patterson Stallings.

Enlisted

Hartford, CT 18 December 1941 Hartford, Connecticut

Other

Commissioned

25 July 1942 Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.

Other

Mission #1, 1LT George V. Stallings, Jr., w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943 Flew as a Passenger and Observer on B-17 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilehlmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 20 March 1943 Assigned as Pilot, with crew, to B-17 42-5393 "Thumper Again", 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK.

Other

Discharged USAAF

31 August 1963

Died

23 August 1991
Rowayton, CT

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected typos in the "Summary biography".

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Mar-2016. Added Mission #1 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 8-Mar-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, George V. Stallings crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360stallings.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-Mar-2016. Added inital assignment with unit and loss paragraph on 42-5486; Made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 31-Mar-43) and Missions (through 31-Mar-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: George V. Stallings crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360stallings.html. Loss details based on "The Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor

George Vernon Stallings: Gallery (2 items)