Skip to main content
Download Image

By downloading this image, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions

Thurman Haskel "Bud" Smith, of the 306th Bomb Group/369th Bomb Squadron with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31078). Smith was the tailgunner on 42-31078 that was shot down in the North Sea 11 Dec 1943. Rescued by Germans (10 POW) MACR 1574. Thurman spent the remainder of the war in SL 17b. Handwritten caption on reverse: '231078, R, 306BG, T.A. Harkin, "Smitty".' Also known by crew as "Big Smitty". Smith family believes Theodore A Harkin "Terry" to be the photographer

IWM catalogue record

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

T.A. Harkin, of the 306th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31078). Handwritten caption on reverse: '231078, R, 306BG, T.A. Harkin, "Smitty".'

Connections

Units

  • 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers

    306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers

    Group
    Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...

  • 369th Bomb Squadron

    369th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Thurman Smith

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
    He flew on Robert Hoyt crew. Reported ot the ETO on 15 Jul 1943. Shot down 11 December 1943 in B-17 #4231078. POW at Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15. AM 2OLC,

Aircraft

  • 42-31078

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43; Gr Island 1/10/43; Assigned 369BS/306BG [WW-R] Thurleigh 19/10/43; Missing in Action Emden 11/12/43 with John Noack, Co-pilot: Bob Schoch, Navigator: Dudley Fay, Bombardier: Hyman Bittman, Flight engineer/top turret gunner:...

Locations

  • Thurleigh

    Military site : airfield
    Built for RAF use in 1941-42, Thurleigh was initially used by RAF Bomber Command before being handed over to the Eighth Air Force. Its runways and hardstandings were improved, and the B-17s of the 306th Bomb Group began using the base. It was their...

Edit entry 

Collection name
Roger Freeman Collection
Object number
FRE 4396

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
10 February 2015 19:17:07 ssma43 Changes to caption
Sources

306th BG Archives
Date Contributor Update
10 February 2015 19:16:11 ssma43 Changes to place associations
Sources

306th BG Archives
Date Contributor Update
10 February 2015 19:11:40 ssma43 Changes to person associations
Sources

family verification of photo
Date Contributor Update
10 February 2015 19:09:50 ssma43 Changes to caption and unit associations
Sources

306BG Archives
Date Contributor Update
08 September 2014 15:45:42 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Share