Victor Jay Guthrie

Military

Shot down 18 April 1944 in B-17 #4237902 'Sure Thing', while serving as a Bombardier. Becoming a Prisoner of War (POW), he would survive the war.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 390th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-694638
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18187769
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37544827
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37418829
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-804659
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hell's Bells/Sure Stuff
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 13 April 1944

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Moore, Montana, USA 17 February 1917

Enlisted

Seattle, Washington, USA 14 March 1942 Enlisted as an Aviation Cadet with the enlisted serial number 19094573.

Enlisted

26 March 1943 Records indicate that he has two enlistment dates. This is possibly because he was an Aviation Cadet, and as such, his Cadet and Pilot training took just over a year, upon which he was briefly discharged and then immediately reinstated, but with his "Officer" serial number and rank.

Other

Shot down

Barnewitz, Germany 18 April 1944 Shot down over a mission to Oranienburg, Germany, while on B-17 42-37902, where he was the aircraft's Bombardier.

Other

Prisoner Of War

Stalag III, Sagan, Poland 18 April 1944 Served roughly 7 months as a POW at Stalag III. It is highly likely that he was one of the prisoners who were liberated at Stalag VII-A in April of 1945, when the prisoners of Stalag III were transferred there. This would mean he spent almost a year as a POW.

Died

Portland, Oregon, USA 4 March 2003

Buried

Riverview Abbey Mausoleum and Crematory, Portland, Oregon, USA 4 March 2003

Based

Framlingham Assigned to 568BS, 390BG, 8AF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorCastleBren
Changes
Sources

Correction to date of the "Prisoner of War" event.

Date
ContributorCastleBren
Changes
Sources

390th Bomb Group records

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4013 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database