41-24579 Thumper

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.' media-407681.jpg FRE 4285 A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4285 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse:...

B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] 17-Feb-42 Gowen Field, Idaho; Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France on 23-Jan-43. 11 man crew. Belly-landed at Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, UK.

Aircraft was too damaged to repair and was salvaged. 6RTD 4WIA 1KOM. No MACR issued.



Aircraft Participated in 7 Operations (2 Aborted). See Biography events for crew information

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Air Service Group 358th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-726969
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19059387
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-791048
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12022994
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13049248
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Aircraft Assigned to Unit

Boise, ID, USA 17 February 1942 B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" assigned to 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. ORIGINAL CREW P 2LT John A. Castle; CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons N 2LT Samuel Anderson; B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith; RO SSGT Emilio J, Yannie, Jr. BTG SGT Cecil E. Kraft; LWG Not Assigned RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 B-17F 41-24579 arrives at Molesworth, UK. CREW P 2LT John A. Castle; CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons N 2LT Samuel Anderson; B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith; RO SSGT Emilio J, Yannie, Jr. BTG SGT Cecil E. Kraft; LWG SSGT Meyer Levin RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick

Other

Mission #1, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB) BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft; LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman RWG SGT Jerry W. Dobbins; TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick

Other

Mission #2, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB) E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB) BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB) RWG SGT Jerry W. Dobbins (RTB); TG SGT Peter Soria (RTB)

Other

Mission #3, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 23 November 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Samuel H. Anderson (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB) E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB) BTG SSGT Gilbert A. Murray, Jr. (RTB); LWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB) RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)

Other

Mission #4, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Glen M. Herrington (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB) E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB) BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB) RWG SGT Alfred V. Heitman (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)

Other

Mission #5, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 2LT John A. Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent M. Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Otis A. Hoyt (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB) E/TTG SSGT Meyer Levin (RTB); RO SSGT Emilio J. Yannie Jr. (RTB) BTG SGT Cecil E. Craft (RTB); LWG SSGT Gilbert A. Murray, Jr. (RTB) RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (RTB); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (RTB)

Other

Mission #6, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P CPT Lewis E. Lyle (RTB); CP 1LT Keith O. Bartlett (RTB) N CPT Paul G. Moore (RTB); B 2LT Louis B. Sinopoli (RTB) E/TTG TSGT Gene K. Smith (RTB); RO SGT Clayton S. Balcombe (RTB) BTG SGT Robert H. Sangster (RTB); LWG SSGT Woodrow W. Smith (RTB) RWG SGT Edward A. Bradford (RTB); TG SGT Tom McGiffin (RTB)

Other

Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR)

Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, North Somerset BS40, UK 23 January 1943 Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France. 11 man crew. Nine baled out over England, but RWG SSgt Billie L. Staner was killed when his chute failed to open. Pilot and Co-Pilot stayed with the aircraft and made a belly landing at Lulsgate Bottom airfield near Bristol, England. Aircraft was salvaged.

Other

Mission #7, B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 CREW B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS P 1LT John A. Castle Castle (RTB); CP 2LT Kent Fitzsimmons (RTB) N 2LT Charles L. Herman (WIA/RTD); B 2LT Louis B. Simopoli (BO/RTD) E/TTG TSGT Meyer Levin (WIA); RO TSGT Emilio J. Yannie, Jr. (BO/RTD) BTG SSGT Cecil E. Craft (WIA); LWG SGT Joseph S. Klasnick (BO/RTD) RWG SSGT Billie L. Staner (KOM); TG SSGT Martin A. Semonick (WIA/RTD) Photographer SGT James F. Loll (RTD)

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Mission # 1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added Arrival in UK event per 303BG webiste, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016 Added Aircraft Assigned to Unit event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2016. Added original assignment date, location and operational participation statement to Summary Biography; Made connections ot all Mission participations pere 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, John A. Castle crew page http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-castle.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2015. Corrected typo in DBR event desciption

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Verified crew names and list per 303rd Bomb Group website crew roster, Gary Moncur, historian

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added nickname, DBR event, edited Description, converted dates to military-style signification, description narration and crew list per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; made connections to Squadron, Place and Mission within existing website data; formatted crew display.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

41-24579: Gallery (3 items)