Michael J Halpin
Military ROLL OF HONOUR1-Jul-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 303BG records do not indicate that he was assigend to a particular crew at that time and they do not indicte when he arrived at Molesworht, UK
13-Jan-43 First combat assigment with B-17F #41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS
Shot down 16-February 1943 in B-1F7 #42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS while serving as Right Waist Gunner. This was his second combat mission. The was attacked by fighters and crashed into the English Channel upon return from a mission to St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA)
Participated in 2 Operations (NO aborts) See Biography events.
POW
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
Aircraft
Missions
![B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379113.jpg.webp?itok=PMFn3r3H)
- Date: 16 February 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Unit |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA | 1 July 1942 | Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. |
|
Other Mission #1, CPL Michael J. Halpin, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Work at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, SGT Michael J. Halpin, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS - KIA |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens ar St. Nazaire, France. The aircraft was shot down by fighters and crashed into the sea. He was Killed in Action (KIA). |
|
Born |
Massachusetts, USA | ||
|
Other Commemorated |
Saint-James, France | Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Brittany American Cemetery. | |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
English Channel | 16 February 1943 | Killed when aircraft was shot down by enemy fighters and crashed into the English Channel. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016, Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016, Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Unit eventper 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html
Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added assigned to unit information and Mission participation statement to Summary Biography; Made connections to all aircraft and missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html
Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015 . Added SN, corrected crew position, added KIA event per MACR 15116; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position and minor edits to Biography based on 303rd Bomb Group website, historian Gary Moncur.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15116 / MACR 15116, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Heys pp. 77-78, Roster / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database