Richard Thomas Witton

Military
media-23010.jpeg UPL 23010 B-24 41-28629 'Blondes Away'. An original Project 92311 aircraft which landed and was interned at Dübendorf, Switzerland 13 Apr 44.

Object Number - UPL 23010 - B-24 41-28629 'Blondes Away'. An original Project 92311 aircraft which landed and was interned at Dübendorf, Switzerland 13 Apr 44.

Assigned to 732BS, 453BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Brunswick in 42-52298 'Choo Choo Baby' 8-May-44; downed by enemy fighters. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 4596



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME

Connections

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Units served with

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-686185
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-808960
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35562331
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38379201
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12185308
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blondes Away
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Choo Choo Baby
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Martins Ferry, Ohio 26 July 1920 Son of Thomas Joseph and Mary Adelaide [Nay] Witton.

Enlisted

Wheeling, WV 8 April 1942 Wheeling, West Virginia

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 8 May 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III.

Other

Baled out POW

Vinity Ovelgonne, Germany 8 May 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) Brunswick in 42-52298 'Choo Choo Baby' 8-May-44; downed by enemy fighters. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 4596

Other

Discharged USAAF

18 November 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

16 February 1995

Buried

Saint Mary's Cemetery Martins Ferry, Belmont County, OH 19 February 1995 Saint Mary's Cemetery Martins Ferry, Belmont County, Ohio

Based

Old Buckenham 8 May 1944 Assigned to 732BS, 453BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated the POW event per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an association to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4596

Richard Thomas Witton: Gallery (1 items)