Knettishall
AirfieldIWM, English Heritage Collection
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on missions over occupied Europe. The Group also sent the 560th Bomb Squadron to Fersfield to fly Aphrodite missions. This involved crews flying full-loaded but worn-out B-17s to the edge of the British mainland before baling out and allowing a crew in another aircraft to radio-control the B-17 into the intended target. On one occasion the crew were unable to control the B-17 and it crashed at Sudbourne Park, Suffolk, leaving a crater 100 feet across.
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17146368
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Radio Operator/Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 33524288
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11008804
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32364096
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Quarterback
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lil One
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Related videos and documents
- Media Type: Video
- Collection Name: Rob Edwards collection
- Object Number: UPL 31791
- Description: Video and photographs of the memorials to the 388th Bombardment Group (Heavy) who served at Knettishall, Station 136.
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17618
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17619
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17620
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17621
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17622
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 17623