Claude A Hamilton
Military ROLL OF HONOUR1-Apr-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 303BG records do not indicate that he was assigned to a particular aircraft at that time. Neither do the indicate on what date he arrived at Molesworth, UK nor by what aircraft or means he arrived there.
14-Feb-42 First combat mission as Bomb Toggler on B-17F #42-5262, 303BG/303BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and terrible weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.
31-Mar-43 Killed in a mid-air collision in heavy cloud cover while on a mission to Rotterdam while serving as a Bomb Toggler in B17F-25-BO #41-24559 "Ooold Soljer" and B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts" 303BG/358BS Crashed at Mears Ashby. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there.
Participated in 8 Operations (2 were Aborted) See Biography events
Air Medal, Purple Heart
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-791048
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bobs Boudoir : Lady Luck
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 31 March 1943
- Date: 28 March 1943
- Date: 22 March 1943
- Date: 18 March 1943
- Date: 13 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Unit |
Boise, ID, USA | 1 April 1942 | Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. |
|
Other Mission #1, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served as Bomb Toggler on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshave, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 6 March 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #4, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS |
13 March 1943 | Served as Bomb Toggler on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #5, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS - RTD |
Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany | 18 March 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat construction yards at Vegesack, Germany. The aircraft received battle damage but the pilot managed to bring it back in a crash landing at Molesworth, UK. He was not injured. RTD OK |
|
Other Mission #6, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 22 March 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #7, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 | Served as Bomb Toggler on B-17F 42-5434, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #8, SSGT Claude A. Hamilton, W/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - KOM |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 | Served as Bomb Toggler on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam. Holland. Aircraft sustained a mid-air collision during assembly and crashed. He was listed as Killed on Mission (KOM) |
|
Born |
Swisher County, Texas | ||
|
Buried |
Cambridge American Cemetery, Plot G, Row 2, Grave 5. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 5-May-2016. Added Burial event per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. and American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) records.
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Lee Cunningham 5-May-2016. Completes Participations statement in Summary Biography; Made connections to All Aircraft and Mission per 303BG website, Gary Moncure, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Unit per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Keith O. Bartlett crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360bartlett.html
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added inital assignment info, first mission info and Participations statement to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 12-Mar-43) and Missions (through 12-Mar-43) per 303NG website, Gray Mocnur, Historian: Keith O. Bartlett crew pageL http://www.303rdbg.com/360bartlett.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit history, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94, 303rd web site, ABMC web site, Roster