Charles W Spencer
MilitaryRear L-R: 1Lt Calder L Wise, 2Lt William C Fort Jr, 2Lt John P.D. Nothstein, 2Lt Charles W Spencer.
Front L-R: T/Sgt Grover C Mullins, S/Sgt James H Pleasant, S/Sgt Howard H Zeitner, S/Sgt Bernard J Sutton, T/Sgt James C Supple, S/Sgt John Gaspar Viszneki.
While serving as bombardier, on 26 November, 1943, a 20mm shell exploded in the nose, killed the navigator, seriously injured Lt. Spencer, and destroyed the plexiglass nose. The flight engineer removed Lt. Spencer to a position of safety, but Lt. Spencer, realizing that enemy fighters were attacking and thinking only of protecting his crew members and the plane, crawled back to his guns to ward off the attacks. Exposing himself to the extreme cold blast through the nose, and facing the possibility of being thrown out by evasive action, Lt. Spencer remained at his post until the attacks ceased. In doing so, Lt. Spencer sustained frost-bite so severe that only by the barest margin were surgeons able to save his life.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35304195
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Stardust
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
20 April 1917 | ||
Enlisted |
27 January 1942 | Chicago, Illinois | |
Died |
16 April 1998 | Buried at Kansas Veterans Cemetery at Fort Dodge, Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas |
Revisions
NARA files verified his ASN upon entry, DSC, PH and AM w/2 oak leaf clusters. Based on date of entry, he earned the ACM and while serving in the ETO, he earned the EAME Campaign Medal with at least one bronze service star.
Information taken from the 303rd Bomb Group Unit History.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://303rdbg.com/rost-rs.html#R