Philip J Callery
Military1-May-42 Assigned as Tail Gunner of B-17F #41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Bosie, Idaho. 12-Oct-42 Re-assigend to B-17F #41-24569 [GN-V], "Memphis Tot" 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Memphis Tot"
Shot down 4 February 1943 in B-17F #41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS as Tail Gunner. The mission target was Osnabruck, Germany, but crew reported guns didn't work so crew turned back. Fighters attacked and Cpt Cole crash landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. Plane broke in two in contact with the water. Surviving crew were pulled from the water by the enemy and became Prisoner of War (POW)s. He was originally placed in Stalag 17B then moved to other camps. He was released from the camp at Krems, Austria.
Participated in 9 Operations (5 were aborted) See Biography events.
POW
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-421603
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 4 February 1943
- Date: 2 February 1943
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
- Date: 20 December 1942
- Official Description: 72 HBs attack air de pot at Romilly-sur-Seine in effective raid. 6 bmrs are lost to ftrs.
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Boise, ID, USA | 1 May 1942 | Assigned as Tail Gunner of B-17 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. |
|
Other Re-assigned to Aircraft |
Bangor, ME, USA | 12 October 1942 | Re-assigned as Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. |
|
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 22 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Tail Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS. |
|
Other Mission #1, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24610, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24610 "JoeBTFSPLK", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 22 November 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB |
|
Other Mission #4, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #5, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #6, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #7, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France,but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #8, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germanym but cold and severes weather forced Wing Command to recall the formation. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Krems an der Donau, Austria | 4 February 1943 - 15 April 1945 | Held at Stalag 17B, Braunau-Gneikendorf (near Krems), Austria. Officially evacuated to United States. 10-Aug-45. |
|
Other Mission #9, SGT Philip J Callery, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - POW |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany. Frozen guns forced the pilot to turn back and the aircraf was attacked by fighters. The pilot mamanged to crashland the stricken aircraft on the edge of the Waddenzee, Holland. He was thrown into the sea but saved by Dutch fishermen who then turned him over to the Germans. POW. |
|
Other Last Report Date (Discharged) |
10 August 1945 | Last Report Date - Discharged in the US. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Added a connection to Lloyd R. Cole, the pilot of A/C 41-24569.
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Last Report Date Discharged event per NARA WWII POW database.
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Re-Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and re-assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; Made connections to all aircraft and missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Verified SN per MACR 15348; Added crew position to Biography.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15348, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 73, NARA web site , 303rd web site mission report