Ralph Boyd Adams

Military

Orginally assigned with the 92BG at Bovingdon, UK as an Aerial Gunner with the rank of Sergeant. He flew his first mission (and the only one with the 92BG) on 21-Oct-42.

On 4-Jan-43 he was transferred to the 303BG/359BS at Molesworth, UK and promoted to Staff Sergeant. He participated in 24 missions with the 303BG/359BS (See Biography events UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

13-Jan-43 Lille; 23-Jan-43 Lorient; 27-Jan-43 Wilhelmshaven; 4-Feb-43 Hamm; 4-Mar-43 Rotterdam; 6-Mar-43 Lorient; 13-Mar-43 Amiens; 18-Mar-43 Vegesack; 22-Mar-43 Wilhelshaven; 28-Mar-43 Rouen; 31-Mar-43 Rotterdam; 4-Apr-43 Paris; 5-Apr-43 Antwerp; 16-Apr-43 Lorient; 17-Apr-43 Bremen; 14-May-43 Kiel; 15-May-43 Wilhelmshaven; 19-May-43 Kiel; 21-May-43 Wilhelmshaven; 11-Jun-43 Wilhelshaven; 22-Jun-43 Huls; 25-Jun-43 Hamburg; 26-Jun-43 Paris; 28-Jun-43 Beaumont.

AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ DFC/ GC

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
The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.

92nd Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

Ground personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Green Hornet". Passed for publication 25 Jan 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Ground crew of "The Green Hornet". Left to right, Cpl. William E. Bowers, Route 1, Elkhart, Ind.; M/Sgt. Joseph R. Dufresne, 30 Lathrop Street, South Hadley Falls, Mass.; M/Sgt. Fletcher Hecton, 518 Twentyfirst Street, Denver, Col.; Sgt. Richard Borgl

41-24603

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Green Hornet
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

41-24605

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Sergeant Vernon E. Carlson, of the 303rd Bomb Group, paints the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Holy Mackeral". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: '"Everything under control" is the optimistic message sent by Sgt. Vernon E. Carlson of the Air Corps, whose home is at 1431 N. Mayfield Ave, Chicago. He used to be with the Goetz Elevator Co. He is 29 and unmarried. O.P.S. shows him painting "Holy Mackerel" on a plane.' On reverse: Current Affairs Ltd, US Army Press C

41-24609

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Holy Mackerel
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

41-24635

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The 8 Ball Mk II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (BN-U, serial number 42-5177) nicknamed "Fast Woman (Fast Worker II)". Image via Pete Bowens.

42-5177

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: FAST WOMAN, FAST WORKER Mk II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Roanoke, Virginia 18 March 1920

Other

Mission #1, SGT Ralph B. Adams - 92BG

Cherbourg, France 21 October 1942 Served as an Aerial Gunner on this mission to bomb the German airfield at Cherbourg, France. Historcally listed as being flown by the 11th Combat Crew Replacement Center which would was operated by the 92BG.

Other

Transferred to 303BG/359BS

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 4 January 1943 Transferred to the 303BG/359BS at Molesworth, UK as an Aerial Gunner and was promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Ralph B. Adams, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as the Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Ralph B. Adams, w/B-17F 42-5177, 303BG/359BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5177 "Fast Worker II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SSGT Ralph B. Adams, w/B-17F 41-24609, 303BG/359BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 27 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24609 "Holy Mackerel", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SSGT Ralph B. Adams, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 2 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24635 "Eight Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SSGT Ralph B. Adams, w/B-17F 41-24605, 303BG/359BS

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24605 "Knockout Dropper", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany. RTB OK.

Revisions

Date6 Jan 2020 18:27:35
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to awards
Sources

Added the awards listed in his description section.

Date13 Mar 2017 19:40:38
ContributorSavvyGA
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

Spelling amended

Date15 Mar 2016 17:59:18
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date15 Mar 2016 17:56:23
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date15 Mar 2016 17:51:41
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 237-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf

Date15 Mar 2016 17:45:03
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Made connections to Aircraft 41-24605, 41-24609, 41-24635 and Missions of 27-Jan-43, 2-Feb-43 and 4-Feb-43 per 303BG wesbsite, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date17 Dec 2015 22:34:12
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date17 Dec 2015 22:26:03
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date17 Dec 2015 22:17:56
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Transferred to 303BG event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Personnel Roster: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date17 Dec 2015 22:13:48
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to events
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 based on content of Summary Biography and added description base on my database of 8th Air Force missions.

Date17 Dec 2015 22:05:58
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to biography, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Edited Summary Biography with assignment to 303BG/359BS and promotion to Staff Sergeant; converted dates in the mission list to USAAF military-style signification DD/MM/YY; made connections to 303BG aircraft and confirmed missions.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:21:45
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, http://303rdbg.com/rost-ab.html">http://303rdbg.com/rost-ab.html>