William A Cotter

Military

Shot down by flak enroute to the Marshalling Yards at Frankfurt and again on the return on 4 Feb 1944 in B-17F #42-3500. Most of crew baled out, pilot was wounded so LtCol Alford, the H2X operator, made a forced landing near Winterswijk, Holland. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

Lieutenant John C "Red" Morgan of the 482nd Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt Red Morgan, Cong, Med of Hon.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot, Pilot, Command
Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott Vandevanter Jr. commanding officer of the 385th Bomb Group, talks to First Lieutenant Sam Dixon, Second Lieutenant Warren Bock and Technical Sergeant Alford Peterson after a mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress "Lady Susie II". Passed for publication 28 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Youth Of The Flying Fortresses. USP/224I-35. The young Commander of this youthful Fortress unit returns from a mission which he led. (Left to right) Lt. Col. Elliott Vandevanter Jr., of Was
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator, Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Chicogee, Massachusetts, USA

Other

Unknown

Germany 4 February 1944

Revisions

Date
ContributorRayWells
Changes
Sources

changes to Connections

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3159 / MACR 3159, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database