96th Bomb Group
Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
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Joseph Francis Kotlarz
Military
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Staff Sergeant Joseph Francis Kotlarz, a tail gunner of the 96th Bomb Group, cleans the guns on his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5885) nicknamed "Kipling's Error the III". Printed caption on reverse: '.'27330 AC - "Hottest tail in town." Preparing his tail guns in last minute readiness is S/Sgt. Joseph F. Kotlarz, son of Mrs Stella Kotlarz, 2820 F. St. Omaha Nebr. Sgt. Kotlarz reigns over the tail gun position in the Fortress, "Kipling's Error III" which is ready for its bombing raid, taking it to Germany and occupied Europe. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.'
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Reuben W. Neie Crew - 413th BS, 96th BG
Assigned to 413BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Crewmamber B-17 'Kipling's Error III'. 25 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Re-enlisted USAF serving in Korea conflict.
Service
Units served with
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413th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-5885 Kipling's Error III
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 20/4/43; Lowry 5/5/43; Smoky Hill 25/5/43; Dow Fd 2/6/43; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX-T] Snetterton 12/6/43; Missing in Action Rostock 11/4/44 with Harry Johnson, Co-pilot: Luther Bailey, Navigator: Herb Springer, Bombardier: Bill...
Associated Place
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Snetterton Heath
Military site : airfield
Intended to be an RAF bomber base, construction of Snetterton Heath started in Autumn 1942 but continued until mid-1943, because it was extended after allocation as an Eighth Air Force bomber base. It had eventually three concrete runways, 50...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Omaha, NE | 2 November 1914 |
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Son of Franciszek and Stefania 'Stella' Kotlarz. |
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| Enlisted | 27 April 1942 | |
| Based | Snetterton Heath | 1943 – 1944 |
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Assigned to 413BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Discharged USAAF | 30 November 1945 | |
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Honourable discharge. |
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| Enlisted | 10 March 1951 | |
| Discharged USAF | 20 March 1952 | |
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Honourable discharge. |
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| Died | 13 March 2004 | |
| Buried | Saint Johns Cemetery Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE | 17 March 2004 |
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Saint Johns Cemetery |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 July 2021 13:06:38 | Al_Skiff | Changes to highest rank, biography, awards, events, unit associations, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/624094200 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 June 2021 17:53:02 | acbernstein1 | Changes to middlename and firstname |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:15:18 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia |
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