Charles Robert Bigler

Military
media-39367.jpeg UPL 39367 "A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Judy B' at an 8th Air Force base in England, 16 July 1943."

Crew list for 17-Jul-43: Lt Willis C Carlisle, Lt Charles R Bigler, Lt John W Bradley, Lt Joseph G Glaser Jr, T/Sgt Benjamin B Johnson, T/Sgt Albert P Tyler, Cpl Charles J Kukawski, Sgt James A Dyson, Sgt Vernon F Bennett, Sgt John A Stachura.

Pictured L-R:
Rear: 2Lt Lt Charles R Bigler, 1Lt Willis C Carlisle, Lt Joseph G Glaser Jr, Lt John W Bradley.
Front: Cpl Charles J Kukawski, T/Sgt Benjamin B Johnson, T/Sgt Albert P Tyler, Sgt John A Stachura.

https://www.fold3.com/image/32192770
379th Bombardment Group (H) Anthology, November 1942-July 194

Object Number - UPL 39367 - "A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Judy B' at an 8th Air Force base in England, 16 July 1943." Crew...

Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 14 x combat missions. Co-pilot of B-17 42-29866 'Judy B' on Hamburg mission, when pilot Lt Willis C Carlisle was killed at controls. A/C fought off fighters whilst in uncontrolled plunge from 16,000ft to 3,500ft 25-Jul-43 RTD



Failed to Return (FTR) Le Bourget in B-17 42-29866; Shot down by flak 16-Aug-43. Evaded and returned (EVD/RTD).



Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16058150 / O-733269
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-794092
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-663482
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19074257 / O-677197
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18041327
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Peter Wabbit
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Judy B
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Scarlett O'Hara
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Mary Jane ll
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Logansport, Indiana, USA 4 June 1922 Son of John S and Mary E Bigler.

Other

Married

Watertown, SD 21 March 1943 Married Betty Eloise Jennens in Watertown, SD

Other

Returned to base pilot KIA

Hamburg, Germany 25 June 1943 Hamburg mission in B-17 42-29866; Despite pilot being KIA and a plunge of 12,500ft whilst under fire by fighters. Returned to base and to durty RTD.

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Le Bourget, France 16 August 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) Le Bourget in B-17 42-29866; Shot down by flak 16-Aug-43. Evaded and returned (EVD/RTD)

Other

EVD

France 16 August 1943 Evaded capture with assistance from French resistance, returning to his unit by Apr-44.

Died

Mesa, AZ 19 February 2001

Buried

Calumet Park CemeteryMerrillville,Lake County, IN 23 February 2001 Calumet Park Cemetery Merrillville, Lake County, Indiana

Based

Evaded

Kimbolton Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF.

Born

Rochester, IN

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1352 / MACR 1352; 379th Bombardment Group Anthology, pg 274 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Charles Robert Bigler: Gallery (2 items)