Donald William Crossley Sr
Military
media-379270.jpg
FRE 834
Staff Sergeant Donald W. Crossley, a tail gunner of the 95th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp] Handwritten caption on reverse: '21/9/43.' A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse of print, this has been lost, however considering the publication date, press agency and subject matter this was likely to have read: 'AWARDS TO THE HIGH-SCORING GUNNER. The Distinguished Flying Cross and an oak leaf cluster- the equivalent of two D.F.C's- have been award simultaneously to S/Sgt Donald W. Crossley, 25, of Wellsburg, W.VA., U.S. 8th Air Force tail gunner. Crossley, the highest scoring aerial gunner in the ETO, has shot down 12 German planes in 23 heavy bomber missions. The possessor of the Air Medal and the Oak Leaf Clusters, Crossley added a second cluster to his new DFC within a few days when his twelfth "kill" was confirmed. With shooting as a hobby in his off time from his pre-war job with the Follansbee Steel Company in Follansbee W. Va....'
Roger Freeman Collection
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Assigned to 333BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Crossley was credited with 12 confirmed e/a kills. A record for 8th AF gunners. ETD
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (3OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EMEA, American Campaign.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16060366 / O-665661
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-?
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12045903 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Shamrock Special
- Unit: VIII Air Force Service Command 91st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 401st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Passion Flower
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Assassin
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Darlin' Dolly
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Heavenly Daze | Dolly
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 27 September 1943
- Date: 26 September 1943
- Date: 15 September 1943
- Date: 7 September 1943
- Official Description:
- Date: 24 August 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Wellsburg, WV | 10 March 1921 | Son of Samuel Clifford and Bessie Rae [McKitrick] Crossley. |
Enlisted |
Indianapolis, IN | 14 August 1942 | Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis |
Other First 95th BG Combat Mission |
St. Omer, France | 13 May 1943 | |
Other Final 95th BG Combat Mission |
Emden, Germany | 27 September 1943 | |
Other Discharged USAAF |
29 April 1944 | Honourable discharge. | |
Died |
Wellsburg, WV | 7 November 1992 | |
Buried |
Brooke Cemetery Wellsburg, Brooke County, WV | 10 November 1992 | Brooke Cemetery Wellsburg, Brooke County, West Virginia Plot Section A Lot 28 |
Revisions
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php