George P Bradley
Military
UPL 73126
UPL 73126
The DFC was presented to Lt Bradley, and also to his bombardier, 1st Lt James W Evans [Corning, N.Y.] and his engineer, T/Sgt Allen V Tuten [ Baxley, GA ] For successfully bringing their flak-riddled liberator home from Europe after gasoline lines, hydraulic lines and radio had been shot out. It was during this mission that Lt Evans, who is five feet tall and weighs 100 lbs, was left dangling by a 12 foot rope when he lost his footing while repairing broken fuel lines in the open bomb bay. Gunners pulled him back to the catwalk. Sgt Tuten, who also was working on the broken fuel lines, narrowly escaped disaster when he lost his footing on the slippery catwalk and caught hold of a safety rope in the nick of time. Lt Bradley landed the A/C with the use of parachutes in lieu of brakes.
Cropped from image media-26993.jpeg (media id 27707)
http://www.458bg.com/crewbradley.htm
Object Number - UPL 73126 - The DFC was presented to Lt Bradley, and also to his bombardier, 1st Lt James W Evans [Corning, N.Y.] and his engineer, T/Sgt Allen V Tuten [ Baxley,...
Enlisted in the army in 1935 and his first duties were with a lighter-than-air squadron at Scott Field, IL. Later he was transferred to a Flying Fortress outfit at Langley Field, VA. Flew as a gunner in B-17’s. He then trained as a bombardier and flew with an anti-submarine squadron based in Puerto Rico and Panama, and finally in December started pilot training. He received his wings on 1-Oct-43. He was promoted to 1st Lt, 8-Jul-44. Lt Bradley has been overseas since 1-May-44.
Assigned to 754th Bomb Squadron, 458th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. 35 x missions plus 4 missions un-credited 'toting gas for Patton's army'.
After rest leave, transferred to 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.
Awards: DFC (2OLC), AM (6OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron 851st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11136205 / O-818106
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34600254
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15125723
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron 851st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18218736
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-698538
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 755th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: The Rotten Sock | Urgin Virgin
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Ill be Back
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Morganfield, KY 42437, USA | 3 May 1918 | Son of Lucy P Bradley. |
|
Based Transferred |
Horsham St Faith | 7 June 1944 - 10 October 1944 | Assigned to 754th Bomb Squadron, 458th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. |
|
Other Rest Home Leave |
United States | 11 October 1944 | Rest Home Leave. |
|
Based |
Boxted | 26 November 1944 | Transferred to 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. |
|
Other Crashed |
Mendlesham, Stowmarket IP14, UK | 19 January 1945 | Taxiing Accident due to Weather Mendlesham (Sta 156) Lt George P Bradley, 19-Jan-45. P-47M 44-21108 - 61FS 56FG 8AF. |
|
Other Crashed |
Boxted, Colchester, UK | 10 February 1945 | Crashed Belly Landing due to Mech Failure 1mile NE / Boxted Sta 150 Cat 4 damage Lt George P Bradley, 10-Feb-45. P-47M 44-21178 - 61FS 56FG 8AF. |
|
Died |
20 May 1972 | ||
|
Buried/ Commemorated |
23 May 1972 | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia | |
|
Other Fighter conversion |
26 November 1944 | Fighter familiarisation. | |
| Springfield, MO, USA | |||
|
Enlisted |
N Ft Thomas Ave, Fort Thomas, KY 41075, USA |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- he records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- http://www.458bg.com/crewbradley.htm;
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list ;
- www.56thfightergroup.co.uk/personnel.htm
