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Military
Local Newspaper cutting telling Richard Ritter's story. Image Alan Jasper/Geoff Burke, Via Mitch Peeke.
2nd lt William "Bill" Hager, co pilot of B17 serial 44-6133. The photo was taken by 2nd Lt Theodore "Teddy" Chronopolis during a traing flight prior to leaving for England.
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2nd mission. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984
Awards: PH.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2nd mission. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984
Awards: PH.
Military | Captain | Bombardier; Nose Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. Returning from Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Sole survivor from A/C. WIA / RTD. MACR 6984
...
Military | Corporal | Waist Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2nd mission. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984
Awards: PH.
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2nd mission. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) - MACR 6984.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984
Awards: PH.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984. Cecil's body was never...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Due to extensive Flak damage, A/C collided with 42-97942 and crashed at Allhallows-On-Sea, Kent. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984
Awards: PH.
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 10/5/44; Hunter 19/5/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; Assigned 525BS/379BG [FR-Y] Kimbolton 8/6/44; on return from mission 19/6/44 with Armand Ramcitti, Co-pilot: Bill Hager, Navigator: Don Watson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cecil Tognazzini...
Military site : airfield
Planned for RAF use, Kimbolton airfield was built by W and C French Ltd. in 1941. The airfield was increased in size to accommodate a full US heavy Bomb Group, and the first such unit to us it was the 91st Bomb Group, who arrived in September 1942....
Cemetery
Crash site
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Cleveland, Ohio | 1917 |
| Enlisted | Cleveland, OH | 13 October 1942 |
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Cleveland, Ohio |
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| Based | Kimbolton | 1944 – 19 June 1944 |
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Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Died | Thames Estuary | 19 June 1944 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) Zudausques mission in B-17 44-6133; Mid air collision Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6984 |
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| Buried | July 1944 | |
|
Cambridge American Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 11 December 2021 12:58:01 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/record/529901653/william-j-hager-american-battle-m... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 April 2020 16:17:21 | madmitch56 | Changes to nickname |
| Sources | ||
Mitch Peeke. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 August 2019 02:40:16 | madmitch56 | Changes to biography and person associations |
| Sources | ||
Mitch Peeke. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 June 2019 16:16:57 | Al_Skiff | Changes to service number, biography, awards, events, unit associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/28680891 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:28:17 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / see page 394 in Losses of the 8th & 9th |
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