James R Van Etten
Military ROLL OF HONOUR15-Sep-42 Assigned as a Waist Gunner with 303BG/427BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. 303BG records do not indicate that he was assigned to a particular aircraft at this time and they do not indicate when he arrived at Molesworth, UK. He served as a replacement gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot" [GN-V] 303BG/427BS on all operations in which he participated.
4 February 1943 Killed in Action (KIA) in B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS while serving as Right Waist Gunner. The mission target was Osnabruck, Germany, but crew reported guns didn't work so crew turned back. Fighters attacked and Cpt Cole crash landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. Plane broke in two in contact with the water.
Participated in 6 Operations (4 were aborted) See Biography events.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-421603
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Memphis Tot
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 February 1943
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
- Date: 20 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 12 December 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Unit |
Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA | 15 September 1942 | Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/427BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. |
|
Other Mission #1, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as a substitute Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as a substitute Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as a substitute Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Wadden Sea | 4 January 1943 | Killed when aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the Waddenzee, Holland. His remains have never been recovered. |
|
Other Mission #4, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as a substitute Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives, Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #5, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as a substitute Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #6, James R. Van Etten, W/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - KIA |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served as a substitute Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the indistrial areas os Osnabruck, Germany. The aircraft was shot down and he was Killed in Action (KIA) |
|
Born |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Unit per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added first paragraph of Summary Biography; made connections to ALL Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html
Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Verified SN an KIA event per MACR 15348; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission wihtin existing website data; Added crew position to Biography.
MACR 15348 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database