Fred Champion

Military
media-24722.png UPL 24722 Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued and brought to an airbase in England. 11 September 1943..."
The legend lists all men as Staff or Technical Sergents, except Pilot Captain Frederick Prasse (standing far right) and has typos in some names. One man is missing from the ten-man crew on board # 42-29965 which had to ditch in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart.
Standing, left to right : Tail Gunner S/Sgt Rolland A. Galloway; Radio Operator T/Sgt Laurence E. Dennis; Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Joseph F. Thornton; Bombardier 2nd Lt Fred Champion; Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Otto F. Trammer; Pilot Captain Frederick T. Prasse.
Front, from left to right : Engineer/Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt John Geegee; Ball Turret Gunner John W. Disher; Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles H. Hartnett. (The missing man from the photo is Navigator 2nd Lt David C. Besbris).

Added media

Object Number - UPL 24722 - Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued...

Fred Champion was assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group/407th Bomb Squadron in England. He was serving as Waist Gunner on board B-17 #42-29996 on the 17 July 1943 mission to Stuttgart, with Pilot Captain Donald G. Parker. Badly damaged by enemy fighters, the plane returned safely to England.

In the Bombardier/Togglier position, he was on board B-17 #42-29965 which went down in the Channel for lack of fuel on return from the Stuttgart mission on 6 September 1943 with Pilot Captain Donald G. Parker. All ten men on board rescued by a French boat and returned to base.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11998665 /O-674111
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13038030 and O-660326
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36048962
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Squadron 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17034210
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner/Radar Controller
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39099087
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Flag ship
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

22 September 1919

Enlisted

19 November 1941 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

rescued

6 September 1943 Was Bombardier/Togglier on board of 42-29965, which went down in the Channel for lack of fuel on return from the Stuttgart mission. All ten men on board rescued by a French boat.

Died

12 March 1988

Born

with his Mother Maria, older brother Earl and 3 sisters, one older, two younger

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorKChamp
Changes
Sources

Family photograph from Facebook page Sonja Champion McCready

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Modified detail to Bio (rescue 6 Sept. 1943)

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Deleted media; connected photo

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
US Census 1930
August 1943 article about the 17 July 1943 mission to Stuttgart : https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/10750270/
SSDI - Social Security Death Index

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 268

Fred Champion: Gallery (2 items)