Ralph Burbridge

Military
This photo shows the crew with their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) prior to August 17, 1942.  This crew and plane were initially assigned to the 414th BS (97th BG). media-39759.jpeg UPL 39759 This photo shows the crew with their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) prior to August 17, 1942. This crew and plane were assigned to the 414th BS (97th BG) stationed at Grafton-Underwood Field (RAF Station #106). The plane and crew shown in this photo participated in the first All-American Flying Fortress bombing mission over German occupied territory (Sotteville Railroad Marshalling Yards at Rouen, France) on August 17, 1942 (Mission #1):

Pilot - Lt. Claire M. Smartt (standing far right);
Copilot - Lt. Godfrey Engil;
Navigator - Lt. Harry C. Nuessle;
Bombardier - Lt. Ralph Burbridge;
Engineer/TTG - Sgt. Ermando P. Roviaro;
Radio Operator/WG - Sgt. Allen O. Williams;
Waist Gunner - Sgt. Robert J. Nichols;
Ball Turret Gunner - Sgt. James M. Abbott;
Tail Gunner - Sgt. Henry Wojciechowski.

After the 92nd Bomb Group completed its training at Sarasota Bradenton Field in Florida in late June 1942, it was ordered to VIII Bomber Command and the RAF Field at Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, England and began arriving on August 18, 1942 with the newly modeled B 17F Flying Fortresses. On August 24, 1942, the 97th BG exchanged most of their B 17E aircraft for the newly arrived B 17F aircraft delivered by the 92nd BG. The 414th BS exchanged their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) for the B-17F 41-24400, which its Pilot 1st Lt. Claire M. Smartt named "Little Bill".

The 92nd BG conducted theater orientation training with the B-17E's exchanged with the 97th BG for the formers F series. The B-17E Hanger Queen (41-9021) was assigned to the 327th BS, 92nd BG.

For additional information, search for "Untold Stories of Colonel Rudy Flack" on Facebook. Once you download and save the latest version of the "main" book to your PC, you will find related details in Chapter 7 and Chapter 8.

Updated by Rick Flack on December 11, 2022.

Object Number - UPL 39759 - This photo shows the crew with their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) prior to August 17, 1942. This crew and plane were assigned to the 414th BS (97th...

Flew on the B-17 'All-American' Plane - a picture of it was one of the most famous of WW II where the German fighter almost cut it in half.



see:

href="http://b-townblog. com/2012/09/21/local-b-17-Bombardier-recalls-wing-and-a-prayer-mission-on-th">http://b-townblog. com/2012/09/21/local-b-17-Bombardier-recalls-wing-and-a-prayer-mission-on-the-all-american/

Connections

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

Units served with

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: All American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 353rd Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
This photo shows the crew with their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) prior to August 17, 1942.  This crew and plane were initially assigned to the 414th BS (97th BG).
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Bitch/ Hangar Queen
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Louisiana, Pike County, Missouri, USA 19 February 1920

Died

Des Moines, King County, Washington, USA 3 March 2013

Buried

Kent, King County, Washington, USA 28 June 2013 Tahoma National Cemetery Section B Row A site 61

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to A/C #41-9021 per info with the media "UPL 39759".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - "the" was misspelled.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated the Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 113840837.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113840837/ralph-burbridge
Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to the 8th AF Bomber Command Mission #1 for 17 Aug 1942 per info in the book "The Allies Strike Back" by James Holland on page 277.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added birth, death & burial events & rank per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 113840837.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

97th Bomb Group Association, Inc., Roster - June 1, 2000 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Ralph Burbridge: Gallery (1 items)