Dwight Odell Foster

Military
UPL 22744 UPL 22744 Crew of B-24 41-29439 shot down on 29 September 1944.
Back row, left to right: Staff Sergeant Owen Killborn, Lieutenant Sheldon Adler, Lieutenant Caulk, Technical Sergeant Paul Miller, Technical Sergeant Samuel Dragoon and Lieutenant Marshall Lewis.
Front row left to right: Staff Sergeant Dwight O Foster, Lieutenant Herbert Minard, Staff Sergeant Thomasset and Staff Sergeant Albert Spencer. Note: Picture was incorectly labeled on Albert Spencer. Should be John R. Spencer.
Also The story is a bit different. It is not known for sure if the plane was shot down. The mission was to transport fuel to tanks in the desert for Patton. John Spencer (Not Albert) and the communications officer were excused from the mission at the last minute granted shore leave privileges. The plane took off but never returned from its mission and crew members from other returning B-24’s reported a large explosion in the sky in the general direction of "Nobody’s Baby". It is not typical for a plane to erupt in an explosion if shot down so it was surmised that the stainless steel gas cans being transported in the fuselage had ignited from static electricity or other means.

Rex Spencer (caption edit)

Off

Object Number - UPL 22744 - Crew of B-24 41-29439 shot down on 29 September 1944. Back row, left to right: Staff Sergeant Owen Killborn, Lieutenant Sheldon Adler, Lieutenant...

Dwight O. Foster was a ball turret gunner in a B-24. 466th BG, 787th Sq. Based at Attlebridge near Norwich. Over half his crew were killed in a crash landing in France.

Connections

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Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'

466th Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

41-29439

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Gallopin Ghost
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Attlebridge

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Raeford, NC 28376, USA 30 December 1924

Enlisted

Iredell County, NC, USA 17 February 1943

Died

Fairbanks, AK, USA 9 February 2017
Cool Springs, NC 27013, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

research provided by genealogist Marcia Melnyk

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

http://wwii-army.mooseroots.com/l/5202131/Dwight-O-Foster

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Information sent through by Dwight O Foster's son, Eric.

Dwight Odell Foster: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 22744 - Crew of B-24 41-29439 shot down on 29 September...