Chester Petrosky

Military

Shot down 5 November 1943 in B-17 #41-24565 "The Ramblin' Wreck", Prisoner of War (POW).



Earlier 10/14/43 on return from Schweinfurt mission, with B-17 #42-5482 "Cat O'Nine Tails" running out of fuel, landed at Bedfordshire. Crew returned.



POW

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

Corporal Murray S. Pearl, of the 303rd Bomb Group, with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24565) nicknamed "Idaho Potato Peeler". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 28 Jan 1943. [stamp] and ‘245656.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Cpl. Murray S. Pearl, serving with the U.S.A.A.F in a bomber squadron, appreciates the heavy fur-lined jerkin issued to him, for, in private life, he was a fur manufacturer at 222 West 28th Stre

41-24565

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Ramblin' Wreck : Idaho Potato Peeler
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

42-5482

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cat-O-Nine Tails
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Fighter Group

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

5 November 1943 Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to the A/C #42-5482 listed in the "Summary biography" .

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added S/N and POW camp info from POW records at the National Archives. Added a "-" to A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" section. Added a connection to A/C 41-24565.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1157, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 341