William Mcadoo Quinn

Military
Portrait of William Macadoo Quinn UPL 72700 UPL 72700 William M Quinn

Lessons in Escape, by John T. Butterwick

William Mcadoo Quinn On

Object Number - UPL 72700 - William M Quinn

Quinn was Shot down on 17 August 1943 during the Schweinfurt Regensburg shuttle mission, in B-17 Flying Fortress 42-5867 'Alice From Dallas'. He evaded capture until 6 February 1944. 

Quinn recalled bailing out in Lessons in Escape by John T Butterwick (1944)

“I heard, ‘For God’s sake bale out.’ I picked up my chest pack off the floor of the radio room. When it would not go on after three or four jabs, I looked and saw I was holding it upside down. I took off my glove, found that my hand was bleeding and attached each hook separately, because the harness rings were so loose they would not meet. As I started to jump out of the bomb bay door, I found that I had not disconnected my throat cord or oxygen hose so I unfastened them and dived headfirst through the bomb bay as the plane went into its first dive. After hearing one parting pull chord open there was a sudden stop and a swing around with blackouts. When it subsided like my arms were going off. When the chute opened, there was a frightful tug. My head and arms went in towards the chute but my arms gave out. Someone was waiting for me when landed and asked if I were wounded. I replied that I did not really know but that I did not believe I could walk. I was picked up like a child and carried to a nearby wood. For several weeks my neck was so sore I had to lift up my head with my hand.”

Quinn is played by Kai Alexander in Apple TV's Masters of the Air (2024)

Connections

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

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-735962
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (**-O, serial number 42-5867) nicknamed "Alice from Dallas" of the 100th Bomb Group flies in formation above the clouds with other Fortresses. Printed caption on reverse: 'A formation of B-17 "Flying-Fortresses" of the 100th Bomb Group flyes[sic] over a blanket of clouds en route to their target at Warnemunde, Germany. The plane in the foreground is the B-17 "Alice From Dallas". 29 July 1943. US Air Force Photo.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '100BG.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: ALICE From DALLAS
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Evaded

17 August 1943 - 6 May 1944

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Lessons in Escape by John T Butterwick (1944)

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an Association to “Thorpe Abbotts”, the home base of the 100th BG.

Added an Association to the 100th BG, the parent bomb group of the 349th, 350th, 351st & 418th Bomb Squadrons .

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 139 / MACR 678 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

William Mcadoo Quinn: Gallery (1 items)