41-24569 Memphis Tot

The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down near Zwolle. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124569. Memphis Tot. SD. 4/2/43. 427BS. Near Zwolle.' media-407664.jpg FRE 4271 The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down near Zwolle. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124569. Memphis Tot. SD. 4/2/43. 427BS. Near Zwolle.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4271 - The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down...

B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot: [GN:V] was assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-W] Bangor 5-Oct-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42. 

Missing in Action 4-Feb-43 The primary target was to be the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, secondary target was to be the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, and the the port area of Emden, Germany was the target of last resort. Hamm and Osnabruck were obscured by clouds, so Emden was attacked. The aircraft sustained severe damage from enemy fighters and crash-landed in the Waddenzee, five miles north-east of Den Helder, Holland. 3KIA 7POW 1DIC MACR 15348. 


 

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 Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18058462
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19062629
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17030785
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-724125
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6147027
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Assigned

5 October 1942 Assigned to 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine.

Other

Arrived in UK

22 October 1942 Aircraft arrived at Molesworth, UK. The original crew that flew the aircraft to the UK was: P CPT Lloyd R. Cole; CP 2LT Robert N. McCune N 2LT Robert P. Driggs; B 2LT Edward N. Bryant E/TTG SSGT Bliss D. Purinton; RO SSGT Dale F. Brandfas BTG SGT Arch Witte, Jr.; WG SSGT Alarence S. Coomes TG SGT Philip J. Callery; Operations Officer CPT Edgar E. Snyder This crew had originally been assigned on 1-May-42 to B-17F 41-24629 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/247BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.  

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

4 February 1943 Sustained damage from fighter attacks and crash-landed in the Waddenzee, five miles north-east of Den Helder, Holland.

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-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 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 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 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 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 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story", Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne and 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story", Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2016. Added Mission Participations to Summary Biography; made connections to ALL Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added "Dean" to George Dean Miller in crew list per original data ingest and in resolution of a DUPLICATE entry by Paul Andrews Project Bits and Pieces.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2015. Added nickname and markings per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Added FTR event, rank, crew position, full proper name and dispositions per MACR 15348; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Edited Description with target information per 303BG Mission Report of 4-Feb-43, converted dates to military-style signification.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15348 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

41-24569: Gallery (1 items)