Jerry W Dobbins

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-49623.jpeg UPL 49623 Jerry Dobbins

http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2012-07-15.html (The Molesworth Pilot 303rd Bomb Group Newsletter); story by Dawn Furbush

Object Number - UPL 49623 - Jerry Dobbins

10-Jul-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F #41-24567 [PU-J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Beats Me".



Killed in Action (KIA) 23 January 1943 in B-17F #41-24567 'Beats Me' while serving as Left Waist Gunner. Aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above while on a mission to bomb the port area of Lorient, France, The aircraft crashed near Pluvinger, France.



Participated in 9 Operations (3 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

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Beats Me
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 10 July 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as an Aerial Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #1, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as substitute Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as substitute Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as substitute Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS 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 #5, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS 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 #7, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTBOK

Other

Mission #8, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Wroks at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Pluvigner, France 23 January 1943 Killed when aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above and crashed near Pluvinger, France

Other

Mission #9, SGT Jerry W. Dobbins, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - KIA

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. The aircraft was struck by a bob from above and crashed. He was Killed in Action (KIA).

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed Some Punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

 

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorGene
Changes
Sources

Sgt Jerry Walter Dobbins was my uncle.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Correcting typo on Mission #4 event.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Corrected Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42:
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf. Re-numbered missions after #4 to $5 through #9. Mission report of 6-Dec-42 had erroenously listed DOBBINS as ROBBINS and I didn't catch it until I started working the loss of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me". Gary Moncur advised of error and he corrected in at the 303BG website Mission Report of 6 Dec-42.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Shulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Shulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Shulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html

Date
Changes
Sources

Combined two entries into a single entry. This record now includes information from the following source: MACR 15571 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added KIA description Burial description and Biography narrative per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE, added SN per MACR 15571.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15571, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey Vol. 1 p. 65

Jerry W Dobbins: Gallery (1 items)