Charles P Kopriva

Military

Object Number - UPL 26648 - Lead crew on bombing mission to Wesseling, Germany, beside Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 44-8038. 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. England, 11...

Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x missions. Ended Tour Duty (ETD).

Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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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

People

William R Flesh

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O725595
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Selwyn D Flowers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756211
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bomber pilot

Richard F Healy

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O755685
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Robert W Sheets

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-679128
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Squadron Commanding Officer

Aircraft

42-97281

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Queenie
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17G Flying Fortress (GN-O, serial number 42-97311) nicknamed "Shoo Shoo Baby," of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Crew Chief T.Sgt. "Shoo Shoo Baby". 112 missions. 427th Bomb Sqdn, 303rd Bomb Gp. Molesworth, Eng.'

42-97311

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver fox, shoo shoo baby
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

42-97691

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

43-37597

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Earthquake McGoon
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

44-8038

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Missions

672

  • Date: 11 October 1944

628

  • Date: 13 September 1944
  • Official Description: 1,015 bombers and 477 fighters attack oil and industrial targets in S Germany by visual means; 15 bombers and 8 fighters are lost: 1. 376 B-17s are dispatched to oil refineries at Stuttgart/Sindelfingen (109) and Ludwigshafen (74); secondary targets...

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Beaver County, PA, USA 3 October 1923

Enlisted

Pittsburgh, PA, USA 12 June 1942

Other

End Tour Duty (ETD)

England, UK 3 February 1945 Ended Tour Duty (ETD).

Died

5 May 1964

Buried

8 May 1964 Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Arlington County Virginia, USA

Based

Molesworth 3 February 1945 Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date7 Mar 2017 14:05:20
ContributorAl_Skiff
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/161248857/?terms=44-8038
https://www.fold3.com/page/83796083_charles_p%20kopriva/details/
http://www.303rdbg.com/lc242.html
http://stichting-mia.nl/index.php/nl/adoptie/stichting-m-i-a/truman-r-l…
http://stichting-mia.nl/index.php/nl/component/content/category/9-adopt…
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=124984647

Date27 Sep 2014 18:05:52
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://303rdbg.com/rost-kl.html#K

Charles P Kopriva: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 26648 - Lead crew on bombing mission to Wesseling, Germany...