Anson Melburn Riley

Military

Anson Riley was Ball Turret Gunner on B-17 "Destiny's Child" #42-31812 shot down by fighters. Crashed near Chemnitz-Borna, Germany on 20 July 1944. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 7281.

Connections

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Units served with

401st Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

91st Bomb Group

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

People

Winton William Blevins

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 38539322
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

John Robert Butler

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 18043858 at enlistment, then O-769095
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Richard Henry Hamilton

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 31252904
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator/Gunner

Richard David Loomis

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 17120493 at enlistment, then O-717239
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Joseph F Sammon

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12157933 at enlistment, then T-2358
Highest Rank: Flight Officer
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Destiny's Child." of the 91st Bomb Group.

42-31812

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Destiny's Child
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron

Missions

B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 351st Bomb Group, including (RQ-P, serial number 42-97193) and (serial number 43-37920) fly through flak bursts during a mission. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Thoison '557' took pic 20/7/44. Star Duster DS-L MIA 6/8/44.'

Places

Aerial photograph of Bassingbourn airfield looking east, Whaddon is at the top, the bomb dump is to the left of the main runway, which runs vertically; the control tower and technical site with four C-Type hangars is on the right, 23 August 1945. Photograph taken by No. 542 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/692. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Events

Event	Date	Description
Born	12 March 1924	Buffalo, New York
Enlisted	16 February 1943	Sacramento, California
Other Prisoner of War (POW)	20 July 1944	captured after bailing out of B-17#42-31812, near Chemnitz, Germany. Interned at Stalag 9C in Bad Sulza, Saxony, Germany. NARA WWII POW records : “Returned to Military Control 12 May 1945.”
Died	22 October 2001	California
		Stockton, San Joaquin County, California
Buried		Anson Riley rests at the Park View Cemetery in Manteca, San Joaquin County, California

Revisions

Date12 Mar 2020 15:42:09

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment Records
NARA WWII POW Records
WWII Draft Card
MACR 7281
NARA Captured German Records :
German KU 2526 report at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147890293
VETERANS BIRLS Death File

Date10 Mar 2020 04:06:00

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

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

Date27 Sep 2014 18:03:45

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7281 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database