Richard Peyton Woodson III

Military
Carl Miller (Bombardier) and Woody Woodson (co-pilot) of the 96th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3265) nicknamed "5 Grand". Associated caption: 'The men looking at "5 Grand" are Carl Miller (on the right) bombardier, on the White Crew, ad Woody Woodson, co-pilot of the White Crew. Jerry White took the picture.' media-387779.jpg FRE 5889 Carl Miller (Bombardier) and Woody Woodson (co-pilot) of the 96th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37716) nicknamed "5 Grand". Associated caption: 'The men looking at "5 Grand" are Carl Miller (on the right) bombardier, on the White Crew, ad Woody Woodson, co-pilot of the White Crew. Jerry White took the picture.' Roger Freeman Collection

Corrected aircraft serial number.

Object Number - FRE 5889 - Carl Miller (Bombardier) and Woody Woodson (co-pilot) of the 96th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37716) nicknamed "5...

'We were hit by flak on the bomb run and lost an engine. A second engine was giving trouble and would not keep up with the formation. We suddenly felt very alone in the skies over Germany. Called the fighter channel on the radio and miraculously a lovely P-51 showed up on our wing in a surprisingly short time. We knew his wing man was above flying cover so we began to relax. A waist gunner had a 35mm camera with color film- a WWII rarity. We coaxed the P-51 closer and closer and [associated media] is the picture that resulted. It still brings a lump to my throat when I look at it.'



Assigned Sep 1944



Received the National Order of the Legion of Honor from France in Charlotte, NC 6/15/2016





Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Albuquerque, NM, USA 1 March 1923 born to: Richard Peyton Woodson Jr. and Katherine McMillen Woodson

Enlisted

Newark, NJ, USA 29 October 1942

Died

Raleigh, NC, USA 5 January 2017 Springmoor Health Center

Revisions

Date
ContributorKD4ITI
Changes
Sources

Dave Wentzel
Carolinas Aviation Museum

Date
ContributorKD4ITI
Changes
Sources

Dave
Carolinas Aviation Museum

Date
ContributorKD4ITI
Changes
Sources

Dave
Carolinas Aviation Museum

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Self, via American Air Museum Memory Book Correspondence.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000; Snetterton Falcons, pg 194

Richard Peyton Woodson: Gallery (2 items)

Carl Miller (Bombardier) and Woody Woodson (co-pilot) of the 96th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3265) nicknamed "5 Grand". Associated caption: 'The men looking at "5 Grand" are Carl Miller (on the right) bombardier, on the White Crew, ad Woody Woodson, co-pilot of the White Crew. Jerry White took the picture.'

Object number: FRE 5889 - Carl Miller (Bombardier) and Woody Woodson (co...

A P-51 Mustang (G4-P, serial number 42-106829) nicknamed "Floogie (Joan)" of the 357th Fighter Group escorts a bomber during a mission.

Object number: FRE 6100 - A P-51D Mustang (G4-P, serial number 44-14245)...