Theodore G Swanson

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

9-Feb-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner to B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK. 303BG records do not indicate that he was in the original complement of aircraft and crews of the 303BG at Molesworth, UK in October 1942. It seems likely that he and his crew were a replacement crew and were processed through one of the Combat Crew Replacment Centers prior to their assigment with the 303BG.



14-Feb-43 First mission as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshallig yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and terrible weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.



Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #4229606 'Toots. ' Killed in Action (KIA).



Mission Participations (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography 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

Private First Class Monroe Klein and his colleagues of the 303rd Bomb Group play a game of cards by the tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-29606) nicknamed "Butch (Toots)". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 21 Apr 1943. [stamp] and ‘259803.’ [Censor no.] Printed Caption on reverse: ''Round the clock with a G.I. PFC Monroe Klein is a private in the United States Army Air Force. Known to all and sundry as a G.I. (General Issue

42-29606

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Toots : Butch
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
The control tower at Thurleigh air base. A B-17 Flying Fortress (WW-G, serial number 42-5729 later nicknamed "Buccaneer") of the 306th Bomb Group is visible in the background. Image via Mike Bowyer A veteran has written on the reverse: 'From Mike Bowyer 3/72 from collection of wing/Co. 76 sqd. Halifax at Home. RAF station WWII.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'WW:G 25729, GY:X.'

42-5262

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

42-5723

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

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 9 February 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS at Molesworth, UK.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Theodore G. Swanson, w/B17-F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 14 February 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshallig yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and terrible weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Theodore G. Swanson, w/B17-F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Theodore G. Swanson, w/B17-F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Brest, France 27 February 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK.

Born

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Germany 25 July 1943

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission event #3 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission event #3 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission event #2 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission event #1 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft eventper 303BG website, Martin E. Plocher crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360plocher.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment info, first mission info and participations statement to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 12-Mar-43) and Missions (through 12-Mar-43) per 303BG website, Martin E. Plocher crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360plocher.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 91 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database