Alvin A Bridges

Military

12-Jun-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F #41-24584 [GN-Q] "Susfu", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Susfu".

Participated in 16 Missions (UNDER CONSTRUCTION). See Biography events.

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.

303rd Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

41-24584

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Susfu
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Lieutenant Fort W. Lipe of the 303rd Bomb Group, signals 'V for Victory' from the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-T, serial number 41-24610 ) nicknamed "Joe Btfsplk II". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Fort W. Lipe, of the Air Corps, of Irving, Illinois was with the Owens-Illinois Glass Co. He is 23 and is engaged to Miss Edith Kesinger, of 314 North-St., Normal, Illinois. His greeting is silent, optimistic and emphatic. As O.P.S. he sends it in the V sign.' On

41-24610

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Joe Btfsplk II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

VIII Bomber Command 27

  • Date: 30 December 1942
  • Official Description: 40 HBs hit submarine base at Lorient, which now shows cumulative effect of repeated bombardment.

VIII Bomber Command 25

  • Date: 12 December 1942
  • Official Description: 17 HBs bomb Rouen-Sotteville M/Y. Bad weather prevents large attack planned for air installations at Romilly-sur-Seine.
A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 305th Bomb Group, in formation returning from Lille. Printed caption on reverse: 'Vapor trails made by Boeing B-17's returning from Lille, France. US Air Force Photo.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'KY-A, 25085?. KY-B, 124591 "Rigor Mortis". KY-C, 25078. JJ-Q, 25060. JJ-R, 123614 "Snafu". XK-U "Wham Bam". XK-P "Flapper".

VIII Bomber Command 24

  • Date: 6 December 1942
  • Official Description: 36 HBs attack Atelier d’Hellemmes locomotive works at Lille while a smaller group of aircraft bomb Abbeville/Drucat A/F.

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 12 June 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 22 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, SGT Alvin A. Bridges, w/B17-F 41-24584, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SGT Alvin A. Bridges, w/B17-F 41-24584, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshallinbg yards at Rouen, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie.

Other

Mission #3, SGT Alvin A. Bridges, w/B17-F 41-24584, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Alvin A. Bridges, w/B17-F 41-24610, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24610 "JoeBTFSPLK", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Revisions

Date29 Feb 2020 02:50:28
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date20 Jan 2016 01:47:05
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Corrcting typo in Mission #4 event title.

Date20 Jan 2016 01:46:09
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date20 Jan 2016 01:43:25
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date20 Jan 2016 01:41:25
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date20 Jan 2016 01:38:39
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date20 Jan 2016 01:34:46
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Edward J. Broussard crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-broussard.html

Date20 Jan 2016 01:32:51
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Asssigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Edward J. Broussard crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-broussard.html

Date20 Jan 2016 01:27:09
ContributorLee8thbuff
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Initial assignment info to Summary Biography; made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 23-Jan-43), Missions (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Edward J. Broussard crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-broussard.html

Date27 Sep 2014 18:03:34
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roster