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B-17 Flying Fortress
Ground personnel of the 306th Bomb Group work on a B-17 Flying Fortress (WW-R, serial number 42-31078) at Thurleigh, November 1943. Marked "Not To Be Published" 25 Nov 1943. On reverse: Ministry of Information, Associated Press and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
Thurman Haskel "Bud" Smith, of the 306th Bomb Group/369th Bomb Squadron with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31078). Smith was the tailgunner on 42-31078 that was shot down in the North Sea 11 Dec 1943. Rescued by Germans (10 POW) MACR 1574. Thurman spent the remainder of the war in SL 17b. Handwritten caption on reverse: '231078, R, 306BG, T.A. Harkin, "Smitty".' Also known by crew as "Big Smitty". Smith family believes Theodore A Harkin "Terry" to be the photographer
Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43; Gr Island 1/10/43; Assigned 369BS/306BG [WW-R] Thurleigh 19/10/43; Missing in Action Emden 11/12/43 with John Noack, Co-pilot: Bob Schoch, Navigator: Dudley Fay, Bombardier: Hyman Bittman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Frank Wesner, Radio Operator: Mike Gallagher, Ball turret gunner: Duncan Williams, Waist gunner: Albt Sewald, Waist gunner: Ken Smith,Tail gunner: Thurman Smith (10 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed sea off Emden, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 1574. (No cheek guns).
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 | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Assigned to 369BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Emden in B-17 42-31078 11-Dec-43; hit by flak, crashed into sea off Emden. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1574
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Completed 11 missions. Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #42-31078. Prisoner of War (POW) in Barth, Germany. Flew on the plane named 'JoAnn'.
...
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #42-31078, Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #42-31078 'Bless Them All', Prisoner of War (POW).
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Assigned to 369BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Emden in B-17 42-31078 11-Dec-43; hit by flak, crashed into sea off Emden. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1574
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Assigned to 369BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. Flew on Robert Hoyt crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Emden in B-17 42-31078 11-Dec-43; hit by flak, crashed into sea off Emden. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1574
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He flew on Robert Hoyt crew. Reported to the ETO on 15 Jul 1943.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He flew on Robert Hoyt crew. Reported ot the ETO on 15 Jul 1943.
Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #4231078. POW at Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15.
AM 2OLC,
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner, Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was assigned to Raloh Peters crew. Reported to the ETO on 08 Aug 1943. Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #4231078. POW at Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15.
POW, AM,
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #4231078. POW at Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15. He flew on John Noack and Robert Hoyt crews. Reported to the ETO on 15 Jul 1943.
POW, AM 2OLC,
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Assigned | Thurleigh, UK | 19 October 1943 |
|
Assigned 369BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Crashed | North Sea off Emden | 11 December 1943 – 11 December 1943 |
|
Failed to Return (FTR) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 June 2021 14:01:14 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1574 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:36 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1574 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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