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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42-5430
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/12/42
54 Fry Gp Salina 4/1/43
Morrison 5/2/43
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-V] Molesworth 25/2/43
Missing in Action Wilhelmshafen 11/6/43
Four killed in action:
-Pilot: Rolland Haines
-Radio Operator: Ken Kalk
-Left Waist gunner: Ray Martin
-Tail gunner: Chas Davis
Six taken prisoner:
-Co-pilot: Mayer Kramer
-Navigator: Dominic DeLorenzo
-Bombardier: Tony Morse
-Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Garcia
-Ball turret gunner: Allen Foster
-Right Waist gunner: Bob Morgan
*Collided with Fw 190, crashed near Aschhausen, NE of Lake Zwischenahner, Germany
Missing Air Crew Report 15228
"PAPPY" aka "GOOD SNUF"
Service
Units
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303rd Bomb Group
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... -
359th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Robert Burry
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Robert L Burry was killed on 15 December 1944 returning from a mission on Kassel. Weather became very heavily overcast and the aircraft was trying to land using radio beacons. They hit the radio tower at Daventry and all of the crew members who did not... -
Charles Davis
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #42-5430 'Pappy', Killed in Action (KIA). -
Dominick De Lorenzo
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #425430 'Pappy. ' Prisoner of War (POW). -
Allen Foster
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #425430 'Pappy. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Robert Garcia
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #42-5430 'Pappy', Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag 17B. Played saxophone and clarinet, and was leader of the Cardboard Theater Band while in the camp. Had to take part in the forced march to Branau, Austria. ... -
Rolland Haines
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #42-5430 'Pappy', Killed in Action (KIA). -
Kenneth Kalk
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #42-5430 'Pappy'. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Mayer Kramer
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #425430 'Pappy. ' Prisoner of War (POW). -
Raymond Martin
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #425430 'Pappy. ' Killed in Action (KIA). -
Robert Morgan
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 11 June 1943 in B-17 #425430 'Pappy. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 41
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 42
12 March 1943
The railroad marshalling yards at Rouen/Sotteville, France is the primary target for 72 B-17s. 91BG (18); 303BG (18) ; 305BG (17) and 306BG (19). Of this formation, 63 are effective on the target. There are no aircraft losses or claims on enemy... -
VIII Bomber Command 43
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 45
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 46
22 March 1943
The U-Boat pens and harbour facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany are the primary target for this mission. 76 B-17's are despatched: 91BG (21); 303BG (18); 305BG (18); and 306BG (19). These are joined by 26 B-24's: 44BG (12) and 93BG (14). Of this force... -
VIII Bomber Command 47
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... -
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.... -
VIII Bomber Command 49
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... -
VIII Bomber Command 50
5 April 1943
The industrial area of Antwerp, Belgium is the primary target of this mission. More specifically the Erla aircraft and engine factories are the highest priority. 79 B-17s are depatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (21); 305BG (18); 306BG (20). 64 of the 79 are... -
VIII Bomber Command 51
16 April 1943
The German U-Boat threat to Allied ship convoys and the destruction of the harbour facilities supporting that capability are the number 1 priority of the Combined Bomber Offensive. Thus, the U-boat pens at Lorient, France and the harbour facilities at...
Places
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Molesworth
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... -
United Airlines Modification Center
Other location
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Crashed | Aschhausen, Germany | 11 June 1943 – 11 June 1943 |
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Almost immediately after the bombs were released, flak hit the plane, causing the No. 1 and 3 engines to trail oil and lose power shortly after. The ship went into a steep dive, but leveled out. At that point, FW-190s attacked the Fort*, eventually resulting in the crew bailing out. One crewman, already wounded, died either in the air or drowned upon landing. Three went down with the plane, with the other seven being taken prisoner. Two of the survivors landed in the lake, one (Foster) being picked up by a launch, the other (Garcia) being taken prisoner on the shoreline. *It is possible that the ship collided with a FW-190 |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2020 02:07:27 | CastleBren | Changes to production block number, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd Bomb Group records Edited "Biography" to allow ease of information |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:56 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15228 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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