42-5908

Delivered Long Beach 30/4/43; Smoky Hill 6/5/43; Sioux City 19/5/43; Smoky Hill 10/6/43; Presque Is 14/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 16/6/43; Missing in Action 29/7/43 with Heywood Curling, Co-pilot: John Greene, Navigator: Bill Koffman, Bombardier: Bill Gray, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Tom Willis, Radio Operator: Steve Molnar, Ball turret gunner: Alex Gadding, Waist gunner: Hobart Perry, Waist gunner: Larry Holmborn,Tail gunner: Francis Kierszak (10 Killed in Action); coll with 42-30370 (96BG), crashed North Sea, off Cromer, Nfk.; Missing Air Crew Report 3069.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.

388th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

William J Coffman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-797266
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Heywood Warren Curling

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-794127
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

John K Dorsett

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-797283
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

George B Doyle

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18079857
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Alexander J Gadding

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37309811
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW)

North Sea 29 July 1943

Revisions

Date25 Nov 2019 21:03:06
Contributorphil marchese
Sources

Flying Fortress 1936 1945, Marchese.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:57
ContributorAAM
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3069 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database