Laurence Bairstow
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Also served in Korea and Vietnam. Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel.
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Richard Harding Bailey
Military
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A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bailey Crew.' Richard H. Bailey Crew 388th BG - 561st BS Standing Left to Right: George Bartuska (B), Richard H. Bailey (P), William L. Tobin (CP), Laurence M. Bairstow (N) Kneeling Left to Right: Ned Transou (R/O), John J. Thompson (FE), Donald E. Marble (WG), Ralph Higgins (TG), Edward L. Gwinnell (WG), Roy L. Graziani (BTG)
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major
Service
People
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George Bartuska
Military | Major | Bombardier/Lead Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel -
Roy Graziani
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
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Edward Gwinnell
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Right Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
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Ralph Higgins
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
DFC/ PH/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster -
Donald Marble
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 561BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.. -
John Thompson
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
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William Tobin
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot/Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Flew 17 missions as co-pilot for Frank Kelley (3 missions) and Richard Bailey (14 missions) Flew 11 missions as pilot leading his own crew -
Ned Transou
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
Units served with
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388th Bomb Group
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran... -
561st Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-30207 Big Red
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War)... -
42-3518 Lady Lillian
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 15/7/43; Rapid City 10/8/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 9/9/43; transferred RCM 803BS Sculthorpe /44; damaged by PB4Y explosion on APH mission 12-8-44; Salvaged 14/11/44. ... -
42-3548 Little Willie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 28/7/43; Scott 9/8/43; Assigned 563BS/385BG [ -X] Gt Ashfield 25/8/43; Missing in Action Brunswick 23/3/44 with Dick Davis, Navigator: Leroy Coy (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: John Cooper, Bombardier: Ed Barwikowski, Flight engineer...
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 74
17 July 1943
The railroad industry at Hannover, Germany and the aircraft industry at Hamburg, Germany were the intended targets for this mission but weather caused the mission to be cancelled. The element sent to Hannover was a combined force of 207 B-17s from:... -
VIII Bomber Command 75
24 July 1943
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22)... -
VIII Bomber Command 77
26 July 1943
The German rubber industry at Hannover, Germany and the U-Boat shipyards at Hamburg, Germany are the primary focus of this mission. In addition, a German ship convoy and targets of opportunity at Wilhelmshaven and Wesermunde are bombed. The first... -
VIII Bomber Command 78
28 July 1943
The German aircraft industry at Kassel (Fieseler works) and Oscherleben, Germany are the primary targets of this mission. 182 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (21); 306BG (24); 351BG (21); 379BG (19); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are... -
VIII Bomber Command 80
30 July 1943
The aircraft factories at Kassel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is flown by two elements of B-17s which attack 15 minutes apart. The firts element is a combined force of 119 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 303BG (23); 351BG (21);... -
VIII Bomber Command 81
12 August 1943
This mission is separated into two elements. The first element is a combined force of 183 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division: 91BG (22); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are dispatched to bomb... -
VIII Bomber Command 84
17 August 1943
The mission flown on 17-Aug-43, the 1st anniversary of the 1st mission flown by the 8th Air Force, is probably the most written about mission of the war. This is the famous Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission on which 60 B-17s are lost. It has been dubbed ... -
VIII Bomber Command 86
24 August 1943
The 8th Air Force is intent on dishing out some "pay back" to the Luftwaffe for the toll it took on bombers of the 17-Aug-43 mission to Schweinfurt/Regensburg. So, This mission has three attack elements and a diversion element. The attack elements are... -
VIII Bomber Command 89
2 September 1943
This mission was composed of five elements. The first element was combined force 55 B-17s despatched from: 92BG; 305BG, and 306BG to bomb German airfields in NW France. The mission is recalled due to weather and the bombers return without dropping... -
VIII Bomber Command 90
3 September 1943
German airfields in France and the Caudron-Renault works at Paris are the targets for this mission. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 168 B-17s from: 91BG (14); 351BG (19); 381BG (22); 92BG (19); 305BG ...
Associated Place
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Knettishall
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Syracuse, New York | 24 August 1920 |
| Enlisted | Syracuse, NY, USA | 21 January 1942 |
| 388th BG Combat Tour | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 17 July 1943 – 5 January 1944 |
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Completed 25 combat mission tour |
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| Died | Rochester, NY, USA | 14 July 2000 |
| Buried | Town of Pittsford, NY, USA | 17 July 2000 |
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White Haven Memorial Park • Pittsford, Monroe County, New York, USA |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 December 2017 21:54:57 | 466thHistorian | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
http://www.ww2enlistment.org/index.php?page=directory&rec=503082 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 December 2017 21:54:07 | 466thHistorian | Changes to nickname, service number, biography, events, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147061384/richard-h-bailey |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:22:37 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.388bg.info/Personnel.html |
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