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A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bailey Crew.'

Richard H. Bailey Crew
388th BG - 561st BS

Standing Left to Right: George Bartuska (B), Richard H. Bailey (P), William L. Tobin (CP), Laurence M. Bairstow (N)

Kneeling Left to Right: Ned Transou (R/O), John J. Thompson (FE), Donald E. Marble (WG), Ralph Higgins (TG), Edward L. Gwinnell (WG), Roy L. Graziani (BTG)

IWM catalogue record

This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.

A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bailey Crew.'

Connections

Units

  • 388th Bomb Group

    388th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...

  • 561st Bomb Squadron

    561st Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Richard Bailey

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major

  • Laurence Bairstow

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
    Also served in Korea and Vietnam. Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel.

  • George Bartuska

    Military | Major | Bombardier/Lead Bombardier
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel

  • Roy Graziani

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner

  • Edward Gwinnell

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Right Waist Gunner

  • Ralph Higgins

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner
    DFC/ PH/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster

  • John Thompson

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner

  • William Tobin

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot/Co-Pilot
    Flew 17 missions as co-pilot for Frank Kelley (3 missions) and Richard Bailey (14 missions) Flew 11 missions as pilot leading his own crew

  • Ned Transou

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • 42-30207 Big Red

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War)...

Locations

  • Knettishall

    Military site : airfield
    Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...

Edit entry 

Collection name
Roger Freeman Collection
Object number
FRE 1481

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
10 December 2017 21:36:50 466thHistorian Changes to caption, unit associations, person associations and place associations
Sources

http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=photoImage&id=388-P-C-...
Date Contributor Update
08 September 2014 15:27:35 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

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