B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 369BS/306BG [WW-F] Westover 30/8/42; Thurleigh 13/10/42; (tran 367BS [GY-F]); Missing in Action Bremen 17/4/43 with Capt Bill Casey, Co-pilot: Ed O’Brien, Navigator: Bill Owens, Bombardier: Jim McCracken, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Wilson Elliott (5 Prisoner of War), Radio Operator: Lewis Ayscue, Ball turret gunner: Joe Borzym, Waist gunner: Morris Gecowets, Waist gunner: Frank Stetler,Tail gunner: Chas Raidline (5 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KO’d three engines, crashed dyke near Greetsiel, Ger.; Missing Air Crew Report 15445. BANSHEE 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 | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Killed in Action (KIA). 17 April 1943 was the leading a/c of the 367th low squadron on a mission to Bremen in B-17 41-24488 'Banshee II. '. Fighters attacked the plane. Left with one engine they headed back toward land. Another fighter raked the plane...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to group on 30 Dec 1942. He was transferred to the 367th BS on 12 Mar 1943.
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Military | Captain | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original member of the group. He was transferred to the 367th BS on 12 Mar 1943.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He flew on William Casey. Reported to group on 03 Apr 1942. He transferred to the 367th BS on 12 Mar 1943.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner; Radio Operator Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original crew member of the group. He transferred to the 367th BS on 12 Mar 1943.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Reported to group in February 1943. Completed approx. 4 missions.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He flew on William J. Casey crew. Reported to group on 17 Jan 1943. He was transferred to the 367th BS on 07 Apr 1943.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original crew member of the group. Transferred to the 367th BS on 12 Mar 1943.
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Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Killed in Action (KIA). 17 April 1943 was the leading a/c of the 367th low squadron on a mission to Bremen in B-17 41-24488 'Banshee II. '. Fighters attacked the plane. Left with one engine they headed back toward land. Another fighter raked the plane...
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 17 April 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 January 2020 20:48:18 | jmoore43 | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Added the nickname mentioned in the description. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15445 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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