Howard John Snyder Jr
Military
Uploaded
Object Number - UPL 17045 - Captain Howard Snyder, First Pilot of the B-17 Susan Ruth
On a mission to Frankfurt, Howard Snyder's plane B-17G #42-31499 "Susan Ruth" was attacked and shot down by two Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf 190 fighters and crashed near Macquenoise, Belgium on February 8, 1944. He was missing in action for 7 months but evaded capture through the help of the Belgian Underground. After hiding for a few months, he joined the French Resistance (Maquis) and sabotaged German convoys until liberated by Patton's 3rd Army at Trelon, France on September 2, 1944.
Snyder's experiences are depicted in the short film 'Shot Down' (2020), which can be viewed on Youtube https://youtu.be/W2by2oYo-6Y
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-685369
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18151729
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12029522 at enlistment, then O-679378
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier/Nose Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-748164
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34036012
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Susan Ruth
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Norfolk, NE 68701, USA | 6 August 1915 | |
|
Enlisted |
Los Angeles, CA, USA | 12 April 1941 | U.S. Army |
|
Other Advanced Pilot Training Graduation |
Douglas, AZ, USA | 11 April 1943 | |
|
Based |
Thurleigh | 21 October 1943 | With 306th Bomb Group |
|
Other Evaded (EVD) |
Belgium | 8 February 1944 - 2 September 1944 | |
|
Other Shot Down |
6593 Macquenoise, Belgium | 8 February 1944 | By two Focke-Wulf 190s |
|
Other Liberated |
Trélon, France | 2 September 1944 | By Patton's 3rd Army |
|
Died |
Sedona, AZ, USA | 25 April 2007 | |
|
Buried |
Sedona, AZ, USA | Christ Lutheran Church Columbarium |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2493 / MACR 2493, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces/son, First Over Germany pg. 201-3; Combat Crews pg. 105,
href="http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-1568.pdf">http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-1568.pdf>, / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
