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Military
First Lieutenant Joe Haas of the 303rd Bomb Group, waves from the cockpit window of his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24458) nicknamed "Hunga Dunga". Passed as censored Jan 25 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '41-24458.' Printed caption on reverse: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- 1st Lieut. Joe Haas, 1190 Meredith Avenue, San Jose, Cal., waves from pilot's cockpit of his Fortress, "Hunga Dunga", before taking off. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
1LT Joseph E. Haas was assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24558 [VJ:F] "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on 10-Sep-42 at Kellog Field, Battle Creek, Michigan. He arrived with the aircraft at Molesworth, UK on 16-Oct-42. He flew B-17F 41-24558 on 6 Operations - 1 Aborted. On 23-Jan-43 he was assigned to fly B-17F 41-24567 [PU:J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS, his seventh operation, and was Killed in Action (KIA). (See Biography events).
23 January 1943 - Killed in Action (KIA) in B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me" while serving as Pilot. Aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above and crashed into the woods at Bois de Queronic, near Pluvinger, France.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F-25-BO 41-24558 [VK:F] "Hunga Dunga" was assigned to the 358BS/303BG [VK-F] at Bangor. Maine on 14-Oct-42; arrived at Molesworth, UK on 16-Oct-42; Missing in Action Vegasack 18-Mar-43 when it was attacked by enemy aircraft near Helgoland. Germany...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24567 [PU:J] "Beats Me" was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-J] Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42. Participated in 7 Operations - 2 Aborted (See Biography events)
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17 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 49 B-17s despatched from 91BG (20), 303BG (16) and 306BG (13). Another element of 14 B-24s despatched from 93BG also joins the bombing force on St. Nazaire. The...
18 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed...
23 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) for this mission. A combined force of 50 B-17s despatched from 91BG (10), 303BG (12), 305BG (20) and 306BG (8) to attack this target. 91BG is not able to put any of their group on the target,...
12 December 1942
This mission is composed of two elements. First element: The German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a force of 78 B-17s despatched from 91BG (19), 303BG (20), 305BG (21) and 306BG (18). However, the target is...
20 December 1942
The German Air Depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 80 B-17s despatched by 91BG (17), 303BG (21); 305BG (23) and 306BG (19). 60 B-17 are effective on the target, but 7 are MIA and 1 is DBR.
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13 January 1943
The primary target for this mission is the Atclier d'Hellemmes locomotive works, associated steel works and the railroad marshalling yards at Lille, France. The attacking force is composed of 72 B-17s from: 91BG (13); 303BG (19); 305BG (23) and 306BG ...
23 January 1943
The port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the primary target for this mission. 305th Bombardment Group is selected as the lead group, but condensation on the bombsight of the lead aircraft in the Group prevents the 305BG from bombing Lorient...
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Assigned to Unit | Battle Creek, MI, USA | 10 September 1942 |
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Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS at Kellog Field, Battle Creek, Michigan. |
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| Arrived at Station | Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 |
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Arrived at Molesworth, UK with B-17F 42-44558 " Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS. |
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| Mission #1 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS - Aborted | Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 |
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Served as Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the mission (RTB OK). |
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| Mission #2 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B17-F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS | 18 November 1942 | |
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Served as Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France (RTB OK). |
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| Mission #3 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS | Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 |
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Served as Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France (RTB OK). |
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| Mission #4 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS | Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 |
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Served as Co-Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. MAJ Clemens K. Wurzbach, Commanding Officer, 358BS was the Command Pilot (RTB OK) |
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| Mission #5 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS | Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 |
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Served as Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France (RTB OK). |
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| Mission #6 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS | Lille, France | 13 January 1943 |
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Served as Pilot in B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the Fives Company Locomotive Works at Lille, France (RTB OK). |
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| Killed in Action (KIA) | Pluvigner, France | 23 January 1943 |
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Killed when aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above and crashed into the woods at Bois de Queronic, near Pluvinger, France. |
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| Mission #7 1LT Joseph E. Haas w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS KIA | Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 |
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Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port areas of Lorient, France. Aircraft was struck by bomb from above and crashed. He was Killed in Action (KIA) |
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| Buried | Rock Island, IL, USA | 1945 |
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The remains of all 7 of the KIA crew members were recovered from their burial locations near the crashed site and were repatriated after the war for a Group Burial at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 December 2015 18:42:50 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2015. Corrected last mission nuber to #7 and added burial location per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 December 2015 00:49:32 | jmchristel | Changes to aircraft associations |
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added aircraft connection |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 December 2015 20:02:18 | jmchristel | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
corrected awards |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 December 2015 20:01:56 | jmchristel | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
removed one award |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 December 2015 18:23:58 | jmchristel | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
added one additional award |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 December 2015 18:20:17 | jmchristel | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
Together We Served profile |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 21:13:12 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 23-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 21:07:44 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 13-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 21:02:30 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 20-Dec-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 21:00:06 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 12-Dec-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 20:55:08 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 23-Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 20:51:39 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission 32 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 18-Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 20:44:40 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 17-Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 August 2015 20:35:23 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to nickname, biography, events, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Aug-2015. Added Operation participation information to Summary Biography per 3O3BG website crew page of 1LT Joseph E. Hass, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-358-haas.html; Added Assigned to Unit and Arrived at Station events per: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-358-haas.html. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 January 2015 19:40:30 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to highest rank, role, biography, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Made connections to Place 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, also reference MACR 15571. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 October 2014 19:33:12 | Jenny | Changes to nickname and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Info from RFC caption |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:17:13 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15571 / MACR 15571,Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey Vol. 1 p. 65 , Roster / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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