B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 92BG Bangor 14/7/42; 97BG 24/8/42; dam 21/10/42; BAD 24/10/42; 369BS/306BG [WW-M] Thurleigh /10/42; ditched North Sea, off Cromer, Nfk., 26/7/43 with Alphonse Maresh, Co-pilot: Bob Hoyt, Navigator: Jim Brown, Bombardier: Art Isaac, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Ross, Radio Operator: Gordon Lewis, Ball turret gunner: Mo Steinhart, Waist gunner: Linden Voight, Waist gunner: Theo Harkin, Tail gunner: Reaford Watkins (10 Returned to Duty); ditched North Sea, ¼ mile off Norfolk coast, rescued by ASR. DIXIE DEMO II.
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Squadron
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original crew member. He was the 31st Officer to complete tour on 28 Jul 1943. He transferred out on 30 Jul 1943.
AM 2OLC, DFC,
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner; Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #4124417 'Dixie Demo. ' Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base. He completed a combat tour in June 1944 and lived and worked in England for some years before returning to the USA.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #41-24417 'Dixie Demo'. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Shot down 29 July 1943 in B-17 #42-5426 Fightin' Bitin'. Killed in Action (KIA) [according to Russell Strong, Hoyt survived].
Military | Captain | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Arthur was born on 22 July 1921 in the New York City borough of Manhattan, to Jewish immigrants from Hungary, Jack and Pauly Isaac. He completed two years of college before enlisting in the Air Corps on 23 March 1942. He trained in Texas as a...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #41-24417 'Dixie Demo'. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30199 'Wicked WAAC', Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Captain | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to the ETO on 04 Apr 1943. He was the 43rd Officer to complete tour of 25 missions. Transferred to the 12th RCD on 05 Sept 1943.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #4124417 'Dixie Demo. ' Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #4124417 'Dixie Demo. ' Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #41-24417 'Dixie Demo'. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30199 'Wicked WAAC', Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Technical Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #4124417 'Dixie Demo. ' Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
26 July 1943
The German rubber industry at Hannover, Germany and the U-Boat shipyards at Hamburg, Germany are the primary focus of this mission. In addition, a German ship convoy and targets of opportunity at Wilhelmshaven and Wesermunde are bombed. The first...
Military site : airfield
Built for RAF use in 1941-42, Thurleigh was initially used by RAF Bomber Command before being handed over to the Eighth Air Force. Its runways and hardstandings were improved, and the B-17s of the 306th Bomb Group began using the base. It was their...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Ditched | Cromer, UK | 26 July 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 30 December 2021 20:18:40 | jmoore43 | Changes to production block number, manufacturer and description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid readability. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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