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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42-3078
B-17 Flying Fortress
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![A B-17 Flying Fortress (GD-M, serial number 42-3078) of the 534th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: '381st BG.' On reverse: George J. Letzter [Stamp].](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-413534.jpg?itok=N7rwqW_t)
A B-17 Flying Fortress (GD-M, serial number 42-3078) of the 534th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: '381st BG.' On reverse: George J. Letzter [Stamp].
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Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Winsome Winn' (Aircraft No. 23078) of the 381st Bomb Group, going down over France, 12 October 1944." - 42-3078 "Winsome Winn" (381st BG 534th BS GD-M) lost on Ludwigshafen on 7-Jan-44 with 2Lt Arden D. Wilson crew (8 pow 2 kia macr 1873) "Hilda" was added by Lt Wilson for his wife. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A18042-66138AC.
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"The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Winsome Winn' part of a 381st Bomb Group formation en route to bomb enemy installations In Europe - flies over the patchwork landscape near Ridgewell, England. 31 August 1943." - 42-3078 "Winsome Winn" (381st BG 534th BS GD-M, 12 missions, lost on Ludwigshafen 7 jan 44). NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06147-65924AC.
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"M/Sgt. Corey And Crew Of The 381St Bomb Group, Beside The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Winsome Winn' At 8Th Air Force Base 167, England. 7 August 1943." - 42-3078 534th BS, 381st BG 12 missions, lost on Ludwigshafen 7-Jan-44. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A12542-A65893AC.
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"The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Winsome Winn', of the 381st Bomb Group stationed at an 8th Air Force Base near Ridgewell, Essex England, 8 August 1943." - 42-3078 534th BS 381st BG. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A46303-65824AC.
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"A Boeing B-17 of the 2nd Service Group, warms up for takeoff from Meeks Field, Iceland. 23 April 1943." - B-17F 42-3078 was originally assigned to the 334th Bomb Sq, 95th BG. She eventually found her way to the 534th Bomb Sq, 381st BG. Nicknamed "Winsome Winn" & coded GD-M, she went down over Ludwigshafen, 7 January 1944. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A00101-75294AC.
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1944 AAF Recruiting Ad featuring Winsome Winn
Delivered Cheyenne 30/1/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG Dow Fd 24/4/43; 4m, transferred 100BG /43; 534BS/381BG [GD-M] 15/6/43; 2SAD 13/11/43 ret 15/11/43;
Missing in Action 12+m Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Arden Wilson, Co-pilot: Don McDonald, Navigator: Joe Connolly, Bombardier: Harry Ullom, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Embach, Ball turret gunner: Bob Geraghty, Waist gunner: George Hawkins, Waist gunner: Walt Sussek (8 Prisoner of War), Radio Operator: Pete Kucher,Tail gunner: Tony Grecochute failed (2 Killed in Action); initially hit by flak in 1 x engine [smoking], subsequently set upon by 3 x enemy aircraft, crashed Schiffweiler, near Saarbrucken, Germany. MACR 1873. WINSOME WINN.
Service
Units
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100th Bomb Group
Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many... -
381st Bomb Group
Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and... -
95th Bomb Group
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August... -
334th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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534th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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2nd Strategic Air Depot
Depot
People
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Joseph Connolly
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
Navigator, Wilson A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS. 8th AF. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 1873. Lt Connolly suffered a broken leg after bailing out. Prisoner of... -
John Embach
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
ETTG, Wilson, A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. On 7-Jan-44 in B-17F #42-3078 "Winsome Win" while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner the aircraft was attacked by three German fighters and the crew all baled out (except for Radio Operator, SSgt... -
Robert Geraghty
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Wilson, A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant at Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 1873. Prisoner of War at Stalag XVIIB. ... -
Anthony Greco
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
Tail gunner, Wilson, A crew. Assigned to 534BS, 381BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshaffen in B-17 42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant at Ludwigshafen, Germany. Damaged by flak, the a/c fell behind and was attacked by... -
George Hawkins
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
LWG, Wilson, A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Not an original member of the Wilson crew. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 1873. Prisoner of War at Stalag... -
Peter Kucher
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
Radio operator, Wilson, A crew. Assigned to 534BS, 381BG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x combat missions. Also from 535th BS. Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshaffen in B-17 42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant at Ludwigshafen, Germany. Damaged by... -
Harry Lease
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 381st Bomb Group
I am writing the following about my uncle Harry Lease, who was assigned as an army airman in the 8th Air Force, 381st Bomber group, 534th Bomber Squadron stationed at the Ridgewell Air Force Base in England. He was a Technical Sergeant and served as... -
Donald McDonald
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
October 1943 - January 1944. Co-pilot, Wison A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 1873. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft I.... -
Walter Sussek
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
RWG, Wilson, A crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17F #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 173. Prisoner of War (POW). Damaged by flak, the a/c fell behind and was... -
Harry Ullom
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 381st Bomb Group
Bombardier, Wilson, A. crew. 381st BG. 534th BS, 8th AF. Originally from the 532nd BS. Shot down 7 January 1944 in B-17 #42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. MACR 1873. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft I. ...
Missions
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8th Air Force 178
7 January 1944
The industrial areas of Ludwigshaven, Germany are the primary target for this mission. The formation has three elements. The bomber gunners of the entire force claim 30-6-17 of attacking German aircraft. ...
Places
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Ridgewell
Military site : airfield
Built during 1941-42 as an RAF bomber station, Ridgewell operated as a satellite to RAF Stradishall until May 1943. It had three concrete runways, initially 36 pan hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. Taken over by the Eighth Air Force in June... -
United Airlines Modification Center
Other location
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Long Beach, CA, USA | January 1943 |
| Delivered | Francis E. Warren AFB, WY, USA | 30 January 1943 |
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Delivered Cheyenne AAF 30-Jan-43. |
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| Assigned | Bangor International Airport, 103 Maineiac Ave, Bangor, ME 04401, USA | 24 April 1943 |
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Assigned to 334BS, 95BG Dow AAF 24-Apr-43. |
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| Transited through Iceland | Keflavík International Airport, 235, Iceland | 25 April 1943 |
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Meeks Field, Iceland. 25-Apr-43. |
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| Assigned | Ridgewell, Halstead CO9, UK | 15 June 1943 |
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Transferred to 534BS, 381BG, 8AF. 15-Jun-43. |
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| Crashed | 66578 Schiffweiler, Germany | 7 January 1944 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshafen mission. Hit by flak & enemy aircraft, crashed Schiffweiler, near Saarbrucken. 8 x POW, 2 x KIA. MACR 1873. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 08 April 2018 22:07:57 | Spooner | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Rick Williams Personal Collection |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 May 2017 16:58:08 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28693429/?terms=42-3078 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 May 2017 13:03:32 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28693429/?terms=42-3078 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 February 2015 16:09:06 | Lucy May | Changes to nicknames and description |
| Sources | ||
Added nickname to nickname field. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:33 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1873 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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