Walter Earl Smith

Military
media-37598.jpeg UPL 37598 "Lt. Thomas and crew of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Vicious Virgin". England, 10 March 1945."

Rear L-R: S/Sgt Walter E Smith, S/Sgt Harry W. Haynes Jr, Sgt Melvin Conrad Carlson, Sgt Edward Gilbert Eschinger, Sgt Louis L Contreras.
Front L-R: 2Lt Max Richard Bartholomew, 2Lt Blaine E Thomas, 2Lt Roger Clinton Lee, 2Lt Walter L Lacy.

Object Number - UPL 37598 - "Lt. Thomas and crew of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Vicious Virgin". England, 10 March...

Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 21 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Dresden in B-17 'Sack-Time' 42-102544; crashed near Dresden on 17-Apr-45 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 14168



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

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-785019
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sack Time
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 427th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17G Flying Fortress (GN-O, serial number 42-97311) nicknamed "Shoo Shoo Baby," of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Crew Chief T.Sgt. "Shoo Shoo Baby". 112 missions. 427th Bomb Sqdn, 303rd Bomb Gp. Molesworth, Eng.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver Fox aka Shoo Shoo Baby
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th 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 Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Pine Lawn, Missouri, USA 26 February 1920 Son of Joseph W Smith.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Germany 17 April 1945 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft IV.

Died

Florissant, MO 14 June 2000

Based

Molesworth 17 April 1945 Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 14168 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Walter Earl Smith: Gallery (1 items)