42-5723

B-17F-5-VE 42-5723 [PU:D] was delivered Long Beach 30-Sep-42; Tulsa 4-Oct-42; Wayne 5-Nov-42; Salina 27-Nov-42; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-D] at Molesworth, UK 13-Feb-43; battle damaged over Vegasak on 18-Mar-43 crash landed with wheels up in field four miles south of the base; Salvaged 19-Mar-43. 10RTD. No MACR issued.



Participated in 5 Operations (NO aborts) See Biography events for crew information.



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 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728345
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728461
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14064909
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner ; Flight Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33190106
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36315307
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Mission #1, B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943 CREW B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS P 1LT Loyd D. Griffin (RTB); CP 2LT Walter C. Swanson (RTB) N 2LT William M. Preston (RTB); B 2LT Robert L. Taylor (RTB) E/TTG TSGT William M. Eason (RTB); RO TSGT Vernon E. Schwartz (RTB) BTG SSGT Louis W. Rheaume (RTB); LWG SSGT Claude A. Hamilton (RTB) RWG SGT Paul E. Henderson (RTB): TG SSGT Lynwood D. Weigand (RTB)

Other

Mission #2, B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Brest, France 27 February 1943 CREW B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS P 1LT Martin E. Plocher (RTB); CP 2LT Clair A. Tyler (RTB) N 2LT Ellera J. Corwin (RTB); B 2LT William F. Kahlden (RTB) E/TTG SSGT Edwin L. Matheson (RTB); RO TSGT Everett E. Friese (RTB) BTG SSGT Theodore G. Swanson (RTB); LWG SGT Robert L. Stevenson (RTB) RWG TSGT Henry R. Legge (RTB); TG SSGT August E. Tornow (RTB)

Other

Mission #3, B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Rennes, France 8 March 1943 CREW B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS P 1LT Loyd D. Griffin (RTB); CP 2LT Walter C. Swanson (RTB) N 2LT William M. Preston (RTB); B 2LT Robert L. Taylor (RTB) E/TTG TSGT William M. Eason (RTB); RO TSGT Vernon E. Schwartz (RTB) BTG SGT Robert Plummer (RTB); LWG SGT Paul E. Henderson (RTB) RWG SSGT Samuel L. Edwards (RTB): TG SSGT Lynwood D. Weigand (RTB)

Other

Mission #4, B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Amiens, France 13 March 1943 CREW B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS P 1LT Loyd D. Griffin (RTB); CP 2LT Walter C. Swanson (RTB) N 2LT William M. Preston (RTB); B/TOG SSGT Claude A. Hamilton (RTB) E/TTG TSGT William M. Eason (RTB); RO TSGT Vernon E. Schwartz (RTB) BTG SGT Robert Plummer (RTB); LWG SGT Joseph S. Klasnick (RTB) RWG SSGT Samuel L. Edwards (RTB): TG SSGT Lynwood D. Weigand (RTB)

Crashed

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 18 March 1943 Sustained battle damage on mission to Vegesack, Germany made a wheels-up landing upon return in a field four miles south of the base at Molesworth, UK. Aircraft salvaged, crew OK.

Other

Mission #5, B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany 18 March 1943 CREW B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS P 1LT Lloyd D. Griffin (RTD); CP 1LT Walter C. Swanson (RTD) N 1LT William M. Preston (RTD); B 1LT Herman C. Currie (RTD) E/TTG TSGT William M. Easton (RTD); RO TSGT Vernon E. Schwartz (RTD) BTG SGT Robert Plummer (RTD); LWG SSGT Claude A. Hamilton (RTD) RWG SSGT Samuel L. Edwards (RTD) TG SSGT Lynwood D. Viegand (RTD)

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 8-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/021.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Added Mission 31 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 9-Mar-2016. Made connections to All Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG Mission Reports: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-Aug-2015. Added Block Number, Manufacturer and Markings per "Losses of the 8ht & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Made Connetions to Unit, Place and Mission within existing website data; Converted dates in decription to military-syle signification; Added crew position, rank, full proper name, and disposition of all crw memebers and formatted crew display per 303BG website Mission Report of 18-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log