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B-17 Flying Fortress
"Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" nicknamed "Yankee Doodle Dandy". 303rd Bomb Group, England. 4 April 1944." Names / Hometowns adorn the nose: Emil R 'Red' Rees, San Antonio, Texas; Les Peer, Premont, Texas; PFC Gabriel Nunes, Brooklyn, NY; Hugo A Jarret, Rhodes Island; Cpl Lawrence E 'Larry' Johnson, Kane, PA; Sgt Theodore J Knauff, Ellwood City, PA; Ray Mentrasti, Bronx, NY.
Delivered Denver 2/11/42; Saline 15/12/42; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-J] Molesworth 1/2/43; landing accident with Bob O’Connor 31/5/43; battle damaged over Oschersleben 11/1/44 with John Henderson, Co-pilot: Walter Ames, Navigator: Warren Wiggins, Bombardier: Woody Monkres, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Stan Moody, Radio Operator: Bob King, Ball turret gunner: Ed Ruppel, Waist gunner: Bill Simpkins (8 Returned to Duty); Waist gunner: Bob Jeffrey wia-died base hospital,Tail gunner: Ralph Burkart (2KIA-rocket hit stabiliser); on return aircraft force landed at 2AD Watton, Nfk; Returned to the USA Amarillo 3/4/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Stillwater 24/9/45. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Returned from rocket attack during an operational mission on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'. RTD.
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base.
Died in rocket attack during an operational mission on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base.
Apparently shot down near Koblenz on a mission to Schweinfurt, GR on 24 Feb 1944 in B-17G #42-31562. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Sergeant | Waist gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Died in rocket attack during an operational mission on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 29 x combat missions. Returned from rocket attack during an operational mission to Oschersleben; 11-Jan-44 in B-17F 42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'. A/C force landed at Watton with 2 dead aboard. RTD.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier; Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base.
Apparently shot down near Koblenz on a mission to Schweinfurt, GR on 24 Feb 1944 in B-17G #42-31562, Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Major | Co-Pilot; Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
15-Sep-42 Assigned as Pilot, with crew, of B-17F 41-24606 [VK-H] "Werewolf", 303BG/358BS at Kellogg, Field, Battle Creek, Michigan with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 10-Oct-42 moved with "Werewolf" and crew to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine in preparation for...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Hartigan crew. 7 x combat missions*. Shot down 20-Oct-43 in B-17 42-29571 'Charley Horse'. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1033
...
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base.
Military | Master Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base. Flew 15 missions. Returned from rocket attack during an operational mission on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'. RTD....
14 February 1943
The marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany are once again slated at the primary target for this mission. A force of 74 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (17); 305BG (17); 306BG (20), but weather once again forces the mission to be recalled before...
26 February 1943
After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities...
27 February 1943
With weather and cloud cover continuing to frustrate bombing efforts against targets in Northern Germany, VIII Bomber Command decides to mount a raid against the harbour facilities at Brest, France. A total of 60 B-17s are destached: 91BG (18); 303BG ...
6 March 1943
German U-boats continue to attack convoys headed fro Great Britain in the North Atlantic with good success. Many of the U-boat packs operate from St. Nazaire, Lorient and Brest, France, so destroying harbour facilities at these locations remain a...
8 March 1943
The railroad marshalling yards at Rennes and Rouen, France are the primary targets for this mission. A formation comprised of 67 B-17s: 91BG (14); 303BG (19); 305BG (16) and 306BG (18) is despatched to bomb at Rennes. Conditions are good with no cloud...
13 March 1943
The railroad marshalling yards at Amiens/Longeau, France are the primary target for this mission but the rail line at Romescamps, the German airfield at Abbevile/Drucat and two other targets of opportunity are also bombed. 80 B-17s are despatched: 91BG...
18 March 1943
The U-Boat pens at Vegesack-Bremen are the primary target of this mission. 76 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (18); 303BG (20); 305BG (18) and 306BG (20). These are joined by 17 B-24's: 44BG (9) and 93BG (15). Of the 103 aircraft despatched 97 are effective...
28 March 1943
The railroad marshalling yards at Rouen/Sotteville are the primary target. 79 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (22); 303BG (18); 305BG (19); 306BG (20). Of the 79 B-17's despatched 70 are effecrive on the target. One B-17 is MIA and 9 are damaged. The bomber...
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....
4 April 1943
The Renault armament and motor works at Paris, France are the primary target of this mission. 97 B-17s are despached: 91BG (26); 303BG (23); 305BG (18); and 306BG (30). 85 of the 97 despatched are effective on the target. Fighter resistance is heavy...
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Battle Damaged | Oschersleben, Germany | 11 January 1944 |
|
Hit in the vertical stabilizer by a rocket, blowing a hole the size of the Triangle "C" into the stabilizer. The Tail Gunner was killed, with the Right Waist Gunner dying later dying from wounds. Two other crew members were wounded. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 23 May 2020 19:25:36 | CastleBren | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, markings, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:55 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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