Vernon Ellsworth Olson

Military
media-18990.png UPL 18990 "Augerhead" nose art - B-17 Serial #42-29635

USAAF official photos

Object Number - UPL 18990 - "Augerhead" nose art - B-17 Serial #42-29635

Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Amiens-Glisy, France in B-17 42-29635 'Augerhead' on 31-Aug-43; Flak hits slowed ship down then enemy aircraft struck. Crashed Northeast of Dieppe, France. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 470



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Hell's Angels". Passed for publication 18 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Crew Of "Hell's Angels". Photo Shows:- The crew of the Flying Fortress bomber "Hell's Angels" - left to right (standing) Lieut. Joy, co-pilot of former crew and now temporary pilot of new crew; Lieut. W.J. Monahan, of Dorchester, Mass, new pilot; Lieut. Martin L. Clark, co-pilot, of Dallas, Texas; Lieut. William P. Maher of Manchester, N.H., navi
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11095636
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Hell's Angels". Passed for publication 18 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Crew Of "Hell's Angels". Photo Shows:- The crew of the Flying Fortress bomber "Hell's Angels" - left to right (standing) Lieut. Joy, co-pilot of former crew and now temporary pilot of new crew; Lieut. W.J. Monahan, of Dorchester, Mass, new pilot; Lieut. Martin L. Clark, co-pilot, of Dallas, Texas; Lieut. William P. Maher of Manchester, N.H., navi
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35043171
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11039617 and O-797343
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39085856
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Photographer

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Augerhead
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hartland, MN 5 August 1917

Enlisted

Fort Lewis, Washington 26 August 1940 Fort Lewis, Washington

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Krems an der Donau, Austria 31 August 1943 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag XVIIb.

Other

Baled out POW

Dieppe, France 31 August 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Amiens-Glisy, France in B-17 42-29635 'Augerhead' on 31-Aug-43; Flak hits slowed ship down then enemy aircraft struck. Crashed Northeast of Dieppe, France. POW MACR 470

Other

Discharged USAAF

31 October 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

Santa Cruz, CA 16 October 1998

Buried

Elm Park Cemetery Baudette, Lake of the Woods County, MN 20 October 1998 Elm Park Cemetery Baudette, Lake of the Woods County, MN

Based

Molesworth 31 August 1943 Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF.
Narberth, PA

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 470;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 470

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