Jacob Wayne Fredericks
MilitaryVolunteered for USAAF 1941; 23-Jun-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 [PU-O] "Snap! Crackle! Pop!, 303BG/360BS with crew at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with the rank of Captain. 15-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard B-17F 41-24620. Completed 25 missions & then promoted to Lt. Col. and Director Operations and Plans, 3d Air Division, under Maj. Gen. Curtis Lemay. Senior USAAF liaison officer, liberation of Monthausen concentration camp (Austria). Turned down promotion to full colonel and command of USAAF base to instead join the staff of the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) in Germany (interviewed senior Luftwaffe officers) and then Japan (studied Japanese wartime aircraft production; visited Hiroshima 3 weeks after atomic bombing).
Engineer at Kellogg Cereal Company before and after the war. Recalled active duty Korean War; stationed at Pentagon (special weapons projects). Later Deputy Asst and Acting Asst Secr. of State for African Affairs, U.S. State Dept, in Kennedy and Johnson administrations (Superior Honor Award, Distinguished Honor Award). Later, senior officer at Ford Foundation and significant behind-the-scenes player in fostering downfall of Apartheid in South Africa and efforts to bring about peaceful transition to majority rule. Unmatched but discrete private connections to government, NGO, business, labor, and church communities across all spectra in South Africa for over 30 years. Awarded honorary Doctor of Laws for his work to undermine apartheid and facilitate majority rule in South Africa by the University of Cape Town. Knew Nelson Mandela, was one of first Americans to meet privately with Mandela after his release from Pollsmoor Prison in South Africa, and attended Mandela's inauguration as first black president of South Africa. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Ford Foundation President Franklin Thomas, and Theodore Sorenson (President Kennedy's de facto chief of staff) delivered the eulogies at Fredericks' memorial service at Bronxville Reformed Church in 2004.
In sum, war hero, statesman, humanitarian and a great American.
Mission Participation (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.
DFC, Air Medals w 4 clstrs, Legion of Merit; OBE; Croix de Guerre.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
- Date: 30 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 12 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 18 November 1942
- Official Description:
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Wakarusa, Indiana | 26 February 1917 | |
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA | 23 June 1942 | Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. |
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS |
Other Mission #1, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #2, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 18 November 1942 | Served as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #3, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #4, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #5, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #6, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #7, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but severe weather forced Wing Command to recall all formations. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #8, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #9, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #10, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Brest, France | 27 February 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #11, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 6 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #12, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Rennes, France | 8 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rennes, France, but mechanical failure forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #13, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 12 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #14, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-5483, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 22 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-5483 "Red Ass" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhlemshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #15, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #16, CPT Jacob W. Fredericks, w/B-17F 42-29570, 303BG/360BS |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-29570 "Big Time Operator II" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK. |
Died |
18 August 2004 | Complete list of credited 303BG missions (per 303d BB website): 1(*) (17 Nov 1942), 2(*), 5*(FTO), 6(*)(AS), 8*, 10, 11, 13(FTO), 15(AS), 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 (AS), 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 (13 June 1943). Died Bronxville, New York. Survived by wife Anne Curtis Fredericks, daughter Maria Loring Fredericks, son William Curtis Fredericks, grand-daughter Charlotte Lindstrom Fredericks, grandson Thomas Curtis Fredericks |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #16 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #15 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #14 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 12-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 8-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/021.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 4-Mar-2016. Made connections to Missions of 26-Feb-43, 27-feb-43, 5-Mar-43, 12-Mar-43, 22-Mar-43, 28-Mar-43 and 31-Mar-43 pere 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG Mission Reports fro dates listed: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 13-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf.
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016, Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016, Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Made connections to Aircraft 42-2973 & 42-2867 and missions 13-Jan-43 & 23-Jan-43, pere 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian; Jacob W. Fredericks crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-fredericks.html
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Assigned to AIrcraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian; Jacob W. Fredericks crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-fredericks.html
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016, Added Initial assignement and arrival in UK infor to Summary Biography; made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 3-Jan-43) and Missions (through 3-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, HIstorian; Jacob W. Fredericks crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-fredericks.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000