553rd Bomb Squadron

Squadron
A bomber crew of the 553rd Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder nicknamed "Molly". Handwritten caption on reverse: '386 BG/ 553 BS.' media-380189.jpg FRE 1458 A bomber crew of the 553rd Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder nicknamed "Molly". Handwritten caption on reverse: '386 BG/ 553 BS.'

Shot down in 1943. The Sgt in the middle was my friends uncle, Paul Bragg from Ohio.

The Zimmerman crew: First Lieutenant G.F. Zimmerman. Second Lieutenants R.S. Molnar, S.D. McCollum, and C.S. Eaton, Jr. Staff Sergeants Y.P. Young, Jr., P.V. Bragg, and J.F. Cuthbertson.

It was later learned that the Lieutenant G.E. Zimmerman crew had been shot down by a FW-190 pilot - Feldwebel Karl Willus. The enemy pilot filed a combat report stating he shot down a Boston type aircraft, (Douglas A-20) at 0705 hours, July 30, 1943. Location given was Northwest of Antwerp. He had mistakenly identified the plane because he had never seen a Martin B-26 up to that point. At the time he was assigned to the 2./ JG 26 on the Channel Front. It was his 34th victory. August 4, 1944 he was killed during an air battle with an American fighter pilot flying a P-47 over Holland; just after Karl Willus had shot down his 50th plane - a B-24 Liberator. His FW-190 was seen to spin down, crash into the ground, and explode! Roger Freeman Collection

I have a framed picture of this.

Object Number - FRE 1458 - A bomber crew of the 553rd Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder nicknamed "Molly". Handwritten caption on reverse: '386 BG/ 553...

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Great Dunmow

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31318690
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33362687
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: OG
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11067196 / O-813311
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Hard Luck
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Dinah Might
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Elmer
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: La Golondrina
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

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Changes
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Contributorrossingtonj
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Type added.

Date
ContributorAAM
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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

553rd Bomb Squadron: Gallery (35 items)