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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41-24617
B-17 Flying Fortress
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An airman of the 305th Bomb Group in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Southern Comfort". Passed for publication 17 Feb 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '305BG. 16-2-43.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
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1st Lt Ashcraft and crew of the 305th Bomb Group, are shown beside a B-17 Flying Fortress. 29 November 1942. England. 41-24617 "Southern Comfort" WF-J, badly damaged mission to Rotterdam, 31 march 43, crew abandoned A/C over UK, 1 x KIA, 9 x RTD. Pilot managed to stagger back to belly landing at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Eng. Rear L-R – 2Lt William J Lakey[Copilot], 2Lt James Alfred Moberly[Nav], Lt Hugh Ashcoft[Pilot], 2Lt Bert M Wells[Bomb], S/Sgt James Patterson[Waist]. Front L-R – T/Sgt Stephen L Gogolya[TT/Eng], T/Sgt Douglas Glover[Radio], S/Sgt Frank Hern Hilsabeck[TailGun], S/Sgt Ray Armstrong[Ball Turret], S/Sgt Frank Corser[Waist].
Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-J] Presque 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31/3/43 with Hugh Ashcraft, Co-pilot: Bill Lakey, Navigator: Bert Wells, Bombardier: Jim Moberley, Radio Operator: Doug Glover, Ball turret gunner: Ray Armstrong, Waist gunner: Jim Patterson, Waist gunner: Frank Corser, Tail gunner: Frank Hilsabeck (9 Returned to Duty);
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Steve Gogoyla Killed in Service -killed when slipped out of his chute after nearing Tolleshunt Major, a couple of miles away; pilot eventually brought the ship staggering back to crash land in woods at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Ex., UK.; sal 1/4/43. SOUTHERN COMFORT.
A/C appears taxiing in after mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEm49EgG1hs
Service
Units
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305th Bomb Group Can Do
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to... -
364th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Ray Armstrong
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Ball Turret Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. -
Hugh Ashcraft
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Pilot - B-17 41-24617 'Southern Comfort' crash landed; Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. The crew bailed out over Essex. TTG was lost as he slipped out of his parachute. RTD. ... -
Frank Corser
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Waist Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. -
Douglas Glover
Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Radio Operator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. He stayed in the Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Col. with 30 years service. -
Stephen Gogolya
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Killed in Action (KIA) on 31-Mar-43 on returning from mission in B-17 41-24617 'Southern Comfort' when the A/C crashed. The crew bailed out over Essex. SSgt Gogolya was lost when he slipped out of his parachute. Awards: DFC, PH. -
Frank Hilsabeck
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Frank was inducted into the USAAC on 8-Jan-42 and entered the war, stationed in Chelveston, England, where he flew out of the base as a tail-gunner on a B-17 Bomber. Having completed his 25 missions in June 1943.... -
William Lakey
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Co-pilot to Hugh Ashcraft. -
James Moberly
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Navigator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME. -
James Patterson
Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Waist Gunner - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD. -
Bert Wells
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Navigator - B-17 41-24617 Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31-3-43. Baled out over England. RTD.
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 48
31 March 1943
The shipyards ar Rotterdam, Holland are the primary target. 78 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (19) and 306BG (19). The weather prevents bombing by 91BG and 306BG reducing the total effective on the target to 33 of the 78 despatched....
Places
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Grafton Underwood
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Crashed | Beacon Hill, Wickham Bishops, Witham, Essex, UK | 31 March 1943 |
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Fire & severe battle damaged over Rotterdam shipyards 31/3/43. Crew baled out over England with TTG slipping out of his harness (KIA) [9 x RTD], pilot eventually brought the ship staggering back to crash land in woods at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Eng. |
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| Salvaged | Beacon Hill, Wickham Bishops, Witham, Essex, UK | 1 April 1943 |
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Salvaged 1/4/43. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 28 April 2021 19:05:15 | jmoore43 | Changes to production block number |
| Sources | ||
Updated the Production block number per info on the internet. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 November 2020 23:02:53 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2017 18:58:22 | Al_Skiff | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Roger Freeman Photo. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 December 2015 14:30:46 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
AAM DB Entry. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 November 2015 12:32:31 | Lucy May | Changes to nicknames, description, events and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Added details of event from details in Description field. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:03 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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