William H Breed

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

15-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F #42-2967 [PU-G] "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 24-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot of "Shak Hak".



Shot down 16-February-1943 in B-17F #42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS while serving as Pilot. Aircraft was attacked by fighters and crashed into the English Channel on return from a mission to St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Posthumously promoted to Captain.



Participated in 6 Operations (NO aborts). See Biography events.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

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

Aircraft

Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Beats Me
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shak Hak
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 15 July 1942 Assigend as Pilot of B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 24 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot aboard B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #1, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 41-24567, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 23 January 1943 Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, 1LT William H. Breed, w/B-17 41-24579, 303BG/360BS - KIA

Saint-Nazaire, France 16 February 1943 Served as Pilot of B-17F 42-2976 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Aircraft was shot down and crashed into the English Channel and he was Killed in Action (KIA).

Born

Stockbridge, Massachusetts

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 fighters and crashed into the English Channel. His remains have never been recovered.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cuningham 24-Feb-2016. Completed Mission participations statement in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival info to Summary Biography; made connections to Aircraft (through 23-Jan-43) and Mission (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015 . Corrected SN added KIA event per MACR 15116; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position and minor edits to Biography based on "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15116 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database