Military
Princess Elizabeth and Col Claude Putnam C/O of the 306th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102547) nicknamed "Rose of York", that has been named in her honour, 6 July 1944. Written on slide casing: 'Rose of York.'
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 2 Feb 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Airmen Who Made First Daylight Raid On Germany. Big bombers of the United States Army Air Force made their first daylight raid on Germany recently when they dropped tons of high explosives on the Nazi naval base at Wilhelmshaven. The bombers, unescorted, met considerable fighter opposition and knocked down 22 for the loss of three bombers. Associated Press Photo Shows:- The crew of the First Flying Fortress to reach the target, with their ground staff.
Left to right, top row:
Col. Frank Armstrong of Nashville, Tenn., Group Commander;
Lt. R.J. Salitrink of Alhambra, Calif., Navigator;
Lt. Frank Taussi of Glendale, Calif., Bombardier;
Sgt. Joseph E. Collette of N. Chelmsford, Mass., Engineer;
Staff Sgt. Charles D. Hill of Baltimore, Maryland, Waist Gunner;
Staff Sgt. Donald Tunstall of Darlington, S. Carolina, Tail Gunner;
Staff Sgt. Raymond H. Erikson of Chicago, Ill., Ball Turret Gunner;
Tech. Sgt. Robert A. Siavage of Eynon, Penn., Radio Operator;
Major Claude E. Putnam of Jacksboro, Tex., Co-Pilot.
TET 254769. 1-2-43-F.'
On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-407823.jpg?itok=ukEo5H0Z)
A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 2 Feb 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Airmen Who Made First Daylight Raid On Germany. Big bombers of the United States Army Air Force made their first daylight raid on Germany recently when they dropped tons of high explosives on the Nazi naval base at Wilhelmshaven. The bombers, unescorted, met considerable fighter opposition and knocked down 22 for the loss of three bombers. Associated Press Photo Shows:- The crew of the First Flying Fortress to reach the target, with their ground staff. Left to right, top row: Col. Frank Armstrong of Nashville, Tenn., Group Commander; Lt. R.J. Salitrink of Alhambra, Calif., Navigator; Lt. Frank Taussi of Glendale, Calif., Bombardier; Sgt. Joseph E. Collette of N. Chelmsford, Mass., Engineer; Staff Sgt. Charles D. Hill of Baltimore, Maryland, Waist Gunner; Staff Sgt. Donald Tunstall of Darlington, S. Carolina, Tail Gunner; Staff Sgt. Raymond H. Erikson of Chicago, Ill., Ball Turret Gunner; Tech. Sgt. Robert A. Siavage of Eynon, Penn., Radio Operator; Major Claude E. Putnam of Jacksboro, Tex., Co-Pilot. TET 254769. 1-2-43-F.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
![Col. Frank Armstrong Bomber crew and Ground crew of the 306th Bomb Group, 367th Squadron with their B-17 Flying Fortress, serial number 42-5378.
Flight crew includes:
Robert Salitrnik, N;
Frank Yaussi B;
Joseph Collette E;
Charles Hill WG;
Raymond Erickson BTG;
Donald Tunstall TG;
Robert Siavage RO;
Claude Putman CP.
Ground Crew includes:
Thomas Kazberovich,
Roy Ploeger,
John R. Stone,
Jackson Van Diver,
William Pangle,
William Gilbertson,
Joseph Broussard,
Jesse Ellis,
and William Feeser - Assistant Ground Crew Chief.
Passed for publication 2 Feb 1943.
Printed caption on reverse: 'American Airmen Who Made First Daylight Raid On Germany. Associated Press Photo Shows: The crew and ground crew of the Fortress which was lead plane on the first raid over German soil in daylight flight 27 Jan. '43 . $Censor: We have names and hometowns of all.$ TET 254778. I 243.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Flight crew includes: Robert Salitrnik, N; Frank Yaussi B, Joseph Collette E, Charles Hill WG, Raymond Erickson BTG, Donald Tunstall TG, Robert Siavage RO, Claude Putman CP. Ground Crew includes: Thomas Kazberovich, Roy Ploeger, John R. Stone, Jackson Van Diver, William Pangle, William Gilbertson, Joseph Broussard, Jesse Ellis, and William Feeser - Assistant Ground Crew Chief. Plane tail number 25378 with radio call letters GY.](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-407822.jpg?itok=3AHXWxl-)
Col. Frank Armstrong Bomber crew and Ground crew of the 306th Bomb Group, 367th Squadron with their B-17 Flying Fortress, serial number 42-5378. Flight crew includes: Robert Salitrnik, N; Frank Yaussi B; Joseph Collette E; Charles Hill WG; Raymond Erickson BTG; Donald Tunstall TG; Robert Siavage RO; Claude Putman CP. Ground Crew includes: Thomas Kazberovich, Roy Ploeger, John R. Stone, Jackson Van Diver, William Pangle, William Gilbertson, Joseph Broussard, Jesse Ellis, and William Feeser - Assistant Ground Crew Chief. Passed for publication 2 Feb 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Airmen Who Made First Daylight Raid On Germany. Associated Press Photo Shows: The crew and ground crew of the Fortress which was lead plane on the first raid over German soil in daylight flight 27 Jan. '43 . $Censor: We have names and hometowns of all.$ TET 254778. I 243.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Flight crew includes: Robert Salitrnik, N; Frank Yaussi B, Joseph Collette E, Charles Hill WG, Raymond Erickson BTG, Donald Tunstall TG, Robert Siavage RO, Claude Putman CP. Ground Crew includes: Thomas Kazberovich, Roy Ploeger, John R. Stone, Jackson Van Diver, William Pangle, William Gilbertson, Joseph Broussard, Jesse Ellis, and William Feeser - Assistant Ground Crew Chief. Plane tail number 25378 with radio call letters GY.
He was group Operations Officer from 18 January 1943 to 17 February 1943;
Group Commander 17 February 1943 to 20 Jun 1943. He was transferred to 1st CBW on 20 June 1943. CO of the 91st BG from 12 Dec 1943 to 16 May 1944.
AM 3Oak Leaf Cluster, SS, British DFC, Presidential Citation, Bronze Star,
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Headquarters
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Jacksboro, Texas | 7 October 1915 |
| Died | 6 May 1965 | |
| Buried | Greenwood Memorial Park, Phoenix, AZ |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 November 2014 20:59:09 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to biography and awards |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 10-Nov-2014. Award associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:06:22 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / First Over Germany pg. 64-5, 67. 71-2, 83-4, 103, 109, 112-118, 122-3, 131, 240, 280, & 322, / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pic...">http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pic... |
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