Claude R Leslie

Military

Shot down 1 December 1943 in B-17 #4230033 'Little America. ' Evaded. 10/14/43 on return from Schweinfurt mission, B17#42-5852 'The Natural' ' crashed at Oxfordshire with crew baling out near RAF Oakley. 5 of the crew were injured with all returning.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 545th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-1699192
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot, 547th Squadron Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-736509
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-670732
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little America
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane.  Six men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front.  Some of the men are  wearing  flying gear.  A man in uniform is seated on the wing of the plane
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Natural
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Related videos and documents

  • Media Type: Document
  • Object Number: Document 30176
  • Description: Escape and Evasion report by SSgt Claude R Leslie after bailing out of B-17F 42-30033 "LITTLE AMERICA" . All other crew members became POWs

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Dayton, Ohio, USA

Other

Evaded

Germany 1 December 1943

Revisions

Date
Contributormvandemark
Changes
Sources

Updated connection

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1335 / MACR 1335, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p. 341, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database