Peter Soria

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven media-378931.jpg FRE 1063 Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Avenue, Harvey, Ill. Aged 27 and single, Sergt. Soria was formerly a insepector with the Allied Steel Company and was educated at Thornton Township High School. O.P.S Sergt Soria swinging one of the propellors of a U.S. bomber.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1063 - Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image...

10-Jul-42 Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F #41-24567 [PU-J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Beats Me"



Killed in Action on 23 January 1943 in B-17F #41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. The aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above while on a mission to bomb the port area at Lorient, France and crashed near Pluvinger, France. Killed in Action (KIA).



Participated in 8 Operations (2 were aborted) See Mission Events.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven

41-24567

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Beats Me
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'

41-24579

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

41-24602

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 10 July 1942 Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 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 Ball Turret Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #1, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie.

Other

Mission #6, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #7, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Pluvigner, France 23 January 1943 Killed when the aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above and crashed near Pluvinger, France.

Other

Mission #8, SGT Peter Soria, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - KIA

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft was struck by bomb from above and crashed. He was killed. KIA.

Buried

Rock Island, IL, USA The remains of all 7 KIA crew members were recovered from their burial locations near the crash site and repatriated after the war for Group Burial at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. Plot D-306B.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; Made connections to all aircraft and All missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Combined two entries into a single entry. This record includes information from the following source: MACR 15571 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added KIA description Burial description and Biography narrative per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE, also reference MACR 15571.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15571, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey Vol. 1 p. 65

Peter Soria: Gallery (1 items)

Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven

Object number: FRE 1063 - Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group...