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"Major McCrea and crew of the 612th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" at an 8th air force base in England, 26 November 1944. [was 29 December 1944]."
Rear L-R: Marv Christensen, Henry Compton, Paul King, Don McCree, Del Ligon, Bob Howard.
Front L-R: Carlton Giese, Unk, Mart Wiegler, Unk.
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Page 16 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
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Page 110 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
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Page 138 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
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Page 165 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
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Page 319 of the 401st Bomb Group unit history.
Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations).
Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.
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Capt Donald G McCree: Air medal award card. 401BG.
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. B-17 pilot, flew 42 missions and became commander of 612th Bomb Squadron.
Awards: SS, DFC (OLC), AM (7OLC), Croix de Guerre, WWII Victory, EAME.
Service
People
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier, Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Don Currie crew. 38 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
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Military | Colonel | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 38 x combat missions. ETD
...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 37 x combat missions. Don Currie crew. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
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Military | Master Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner ; Flight Engineer | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. Ditched into the channel and was rescued. RTD. Don Currie crew. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Post war: Remained in USAF serving in Korean conflict.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 37 x combat missions. Donald McCree and Donald Currie crews. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
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Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 37 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Donald Currie crew. 37 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
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Military | Master Sergeant | Waist gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Don Currie crew. 37 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Post war: Remained in USAF serving in Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Don Currie crew. 37 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Show more
Units served with
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Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
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Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Dallas 8/9/43; to Gt Falls with Phil Sweet but force landed Pueblo, CO 10/9/43; Scott 20/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-G] Deenethorpe 8/11/43; Missing in Action Cologne 28/5/44 with George West, Waist gunner: Hugh Russell, Tail gunner: Mike...
Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
Deenethorpe was a base purpose-built for American heavy bombers, with the Class A regulation 2,000 and 1,400-yard runways. All the buildings on site,such as the accommodation and administrative blocks, were temporary. In December 1943, several local...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
St Paul, MN |
30 August 1915 |
Son Andrew Amos and Alice Bunting [Mills] McCree.
|
Enlisted |
Minneapolis, MN |
28 April 1941 |
Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
Discharged USAAF |
|
15 February 1946 |
Honourable discharge.
|
Died |
Bloomington, MN |
11 May 2005 |
Buried |
Roselawn Cemetery
Roseville,
Ramsey County, MN |
14 May 2005 |
Roselawn Cemetery
Roseville,
Ramsey County, Minnesota
|