8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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42-29524
B-17 Flying Fortress
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A B-17 Flying Fortress (RD-D, serial number 42-29524) nicknamed "Meat Hound" of the 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group.
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Waist gunner Staff Sergeant Frank Lusic, poses in front of B-17F-55-BO 42-29524 'Meathound' of 306th Bomb Group, 423rd Bomb Squadron. 1943.
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Meat Hound Nose Art
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"Ground crew extinguishes fire on crash landed fort (Boeing B-17) piloted by 2nd Lt. Jack W. Watson, Indianapolis, who all alone, brought ship back from 8th Air Force attack on Oschersleben, 11 Jan 1944, after he ordered crew to bail out when plane caught fire."
Delivered Denver 31/12/42; Salina 7/1/43; Morrison 2/12/43; Homestead 14/2/43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-D] Thurleigh 2/3/43; transferred 358BS/303BG [VK-K] Molesworth 30/7/43; 25m Missing in Action Oschersleben 26/1/44 with Jack Watson (RTD-alone), Navigator: John Leverton, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Sam Rowland, Waist gunner: Gene Stewart, Tail gunner: Roman Kosinski (4 Prisoner of War), Bombardier: Vance Colvin, Radio Operator: Harry Romaine, Ball turret gunner: Fred Booth, Waist gunner: Bill Fussner (4 KIA, all drowned in the Ijsselmeer), Co-pilot: Clayton David (evaded capture); hit by enemy aircraft over Durgerdam, crew bailed over Ijsselmeer, Hol. Pilot brought ship home to crash land at Metfield, Sfk, UK. Missing Air Crew Report 4269. MEAT HOUND.
Service
Units
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303rd Bomb Group
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New... -
306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
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,... -
358th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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423rd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Fred Booth
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Vance Colvin
Military | Second Lieutenant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Clayton David
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Evaded (EVD). Arrived back in the UK on 05/25/1944. -
William Fussner
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Roman Kosinski
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Prisoner of War (POW). -
John Leverton
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Robert McGuire
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
Robert McGuire served as a radio operator with the 358th Bomb Squadron of the 303rd Bomb Group, flying missions out of Molesworth, England. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME. -
Marc Pitts
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
in one month Marc flew six combat missions, his final mission he was killed when his aircraft took 3 direct hits from flak, which took out the control cables and put a hole in the tail. ... -
Harry Romaniec
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Samuel Rowland
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On mission to Oschersleben on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-29524 'Meathound', crew was ordered to bail out but pilot managed to fly damaged a/c back to England and landed at Metfield. Killed in Action (KIA).
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 94 OPERATION STARKEY
9 September 1943
This mission has been named OPERATION STARKEY. It is planned as a coordinated attack of multiple bomber elements upon multiple targets and incorporates fighter escort as a rehearsal of what may be required to support an invasion of the Continent. It is... -
VIII Bomber Command 106
2 October 1943
This mission is composed of three elements, two or which are directed at the industrial areas of Emden, Germany and the other at the German airfield at Woensdrecht, Holland. The first element is a formation of 163 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division which... -
VIII Bomber Command 108
4 October 1943
This mission is composed of five elements. The first element is a combined force of 104 B-17s from: 306BG (16); 92BG (17); 395BG (17); 303BG (19); 379BG (18) and 384BG (17) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany. 77 aircraft are... -
VIII Bomber Command 111
8 October 1943
The shipyards and industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission, but cloud cover causes some formations to bomb targets of opportunity. The attacking elements have been summarized below: ... -
VIII Bomber Command 112 LEAFLET DROP
8 October 1943
2 B-17s from 305BG/422BS are despatched on a night operation to drop leaflets over the city of Rennes, France. 266,336 leaflets are dropped. There are no losses or claims. -
VIII Bomber Command 113
9 October 1943
This mission is composed of 6 elements. The first element is a combined force of 115 B-17s from: 303BG (20); 379BG (20); 384BG (21); 351BG (21); 91BG 16; and 381BG (16) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Anklam, Germany. 106 aircraft are... -
VIII Bomber Command 114
10 October 1943
This mission was intended to be a massive attack of 307 B-17s on the railroad facilities and waterway (canals) at Munster, Germany. This attack was to be supported by a diversion 39 B-24s. The formation was attacked by hundreds of German fighters which... -
VIII Bomber Command 115
14 October 1943
This was the 2nd mission flown against the ball bearing industry at Schweinfurt, Germany and was as equally disastrous as that flown on 17-Aug-43. It came to be known as "Black Thursday". While fighter escort was dispatched, bad weather and lack of... -
VIII Bomber Command 119
3 November 1943
October 1943 turned out to be the worst loss rate for 8th Air Force for the entire war. 2,145 B-17s and 303 B-24s had been dispatched on missions. 163 B-17s had been lost (lost rate 7.5991%) and 9 B-24s were lost (loss rate 2.9703%). These loss rates... -
VIII Bomber Command 138
26 November 1943
The industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the target for this massive mission (largest to date) of 505 B-17s which included 14 B-17 Pathfinders from 482BG spread among the B-17 formations - 13 of these completed the mission and 7 were damaged. ...
Places
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Molesworth
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd... -
Thurleigh
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...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Seattle, WA, USA | 1942 |
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Built at Boeing. |
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| Delivered | 18500 E 6th Ave, Aurora, CO 80011, USA | 31 December 1942 |
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Delivered Denver AAF 31-Dec-42. |
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| Assigned | Thurleigh, Bedford MK44, UK | 2 March 1943 |
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Assigned 423BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Assigned | Molesworth, Huntingdon PE28 0QD, UK | 30 July 1943 |
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Transferred 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Crash landing | Metfield, Harleston IP20 0LH, UK | 26 January 1944 |
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Oschersleben 26-Jan-44 hit by enemy aircraft over Durgerdam, crew bailed over Ijsselmeer, Holland Pilot brought ship home to crash land at Metfield, Suffolk 1 x RTD, 1 x EVD, 4 x POW, 4 x KIA. MACR 4269. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 01 July 2021 19:51:48 | jmoore43 | Changes to description and events |
| Sources | ||
Added punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid readability. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 October 2020 17:29:14 | jmoore43 | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Added the A/C nickname listed in the A/C “Description” section. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 March 2018 15:23:19 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 March 2018 15:22:29 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, events, unit associations and person associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 14 March 2016 18:19:18 | Mags | Changes to place associations |
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303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 14 March 2016 18:17:41 | Mags | Changes to unit associations and place associations |
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303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 October 2015 03:33:19 | Tanks | Changes to nicknames and markings |
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AAM Photo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:22 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 4269 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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