Clarence Lewis Thacker | American Air Museum in Britain

Raised in Kissimmee Florida, Parents Omer S. Thacker and Jesse Wilder, Both Attorneys in Kissimmee Fl.

Clarence Thacker Flew "Kissy-Me-Cowboy" #41-24473 originally named the "Exterminator" but he renamed when it was transferred to the 97th BG/414th SQ/ 1942.

He was the pilot of 41-9103, one of 12 B-17s which flew on Mission #1, 17 August 1942 to Rouen, France from Grafton Underwood, UK.

He was promoted to Commander and transferred to the 384th BG/547th Unit, 41st Wing, Group C and B. He flew B-17's such as "Bat out of Hell", among many others. He also Flew B-17 'Dixie Demo' with 97th BG in the 8th Air Force.

Service

People

William Abare

Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 544th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 special Orders #68 dated 29 March 1945 as crew pilot. Eight combat missions.
Charles Abbott

Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #29 dated 5 February 1945, Charles Bernard Shuff Crew. 22 combat missions.
Edward Abbott

Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot/Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #140 dated 17 July 1944, Loren L. Green Crew. 35 combat missions. 7 Air Medals
James Abbott

Military | 97th Bomb Group
William Abbott

Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #213 dated 28 October 1944 as crew pilot. 33 combat missions.
John Abdallah

Military | Captain | Bombardier | 97th Bomb Group
John Abdallah served as a Bombardier with the 97th Bomb Group. He was shot down on 16 July 1943 while on a mission to San Giovanni, Italy. The plane ditched in the sea 35 miles east of Catania, Sicily. The crew were fortunately rescued after about 30...
Carl Abele

Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down in B-17 42-29867 on Mission #115, 14 October 1943. Missing Air Crew Report #838. POW
Dominic Abriola

Military | Sergeant | Military Occupation Specialty 060-Cook | 384th Bomb Group
Transferred from the 384th Bombardment Group, 545th Bombardment Squadron to the 546th Bombardment Squadron on AAF Station 195 (Istres, France) Special Order# 68 dated 16 October 1945.
Lorenzo Abrusci

Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 24 July 1944, Richard G. Wismer Crew. 33 combat missions.

Units served with

384th Bomb Group

Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
97th Bomb Group

Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
414th Bomb Squadron

Squadron
547th Bomb Squadron

Squadron

Aircraft

41-24473 'Kissy-Me-Cowboy'

B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 92BG Bangor 2/8/42; 414BS/97BG Polebrook 24/8/42; Maison Blanche 13/11/42; Tafaraoui 22/11/42; Biskra 25/12/42; Chateau-du-Rhumel 8/2/43; Pont-du-Fahs 1/8/43; De Pienn 15/8/43; Cerignola 20/12/43; Amendola 16/1/44. Salvaged 1/8/45. KISS-ME...
41-9103 Dixie Demo

B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 414BS/97BG Polebrook 11/4/42; with Lt. Clarence L. Thacker on first 8AF mission 17/8/42; transferred 92BG Bovingdon 24/8/42; 91BG Bassingbourn 3/3/43; 385BG Gt Ashfield 8/43 as target tow & hack; Returned to the USA 23/6/44; Reconstruction...

Missions

VIII Bomber Command 1

17 August 1942
The US 8AF launches its first strategic bombing raid of the war, sending 12 Boeing B-17Es of the 97BG on a strike against the railyards of Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France, while another six fly a diversionary route. The attacking force is split into two...

Associated Place

Grafton Underwood

Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...

Events

Event	Location	Date

Date	Contributor	Update
30 December 2021 20:54:56	jmoore43	Changes to biography
Sources
Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
Date	Contributor	Update
05 April 2020 10:42:43	general ira snapsorter	Changes to service number, highest rank, biography, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources
Venit Hora: The Hour Has Come, Thomas F. Gulley, page 249; http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=t...
Date	Contributor	Update
02 April 2020 19:35:05	jmoore43	Changes to nickname
Sources
Added "Possible DUPLICATE" in the nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.
Date	Contributor	Update
24 February 2020 19:02:56	J.turbev@aol.com	Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nickname, highest rank, role, biography, person associations and unit associations
Sources
Sortie Reports, Newspaper clippings, Family history, online history data base, 97th BG Rudolf Flack FB Page, Book- 97th BG-Venit Hora-The Hour Has Come. many other sites.