Earl Clifford Tunnell

Military

Shot down 6 March 1943 in B-17F #42-5378, 306BG/367BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft had developed an oil leak in no. 3 engine over the Channel, but oil pressure stayed steady so the pilots continued their mission toward the submarine pens at Lorient, France. According to Strong, fighters attacked as this plane was was dropping back due to the earlier oil leak and the fact this Group was in the low Squadron. When engine 4 quit, bailout was ordered. Prisoner of War (POW), most probably interned at Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan/Zagan, Poland and force-marched from there at the end of January 1945. Liberated at Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany, by US troops on 29 April 1945. His NARA WWII POW record only mentions 7A (the last camp he was registered in)...

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-726184
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19075295 at enlistment, then O-664296
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36219920 at enlistment, then O-726143
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
Staff Sergeant Charles D. Hill, a waist gunner of the 306th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image via BL Davies. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 2 Feb 1943.' [stamp] and '246557.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN AIRMEN WHO MADE FIRST DAYLIGHT RAID ON GERMANY. Associated Press Photos shows: Staff Sgt. Charles D. Hill of Baltimore, Maryland, The waist Gunner of the First Fortress to bomb Wilhelmshaven. TET 254771/2. 1243
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13050532
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13025901
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

Bomber crew and Ground 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. Associated Press Photo Shows: The crew and ground crew of the Fortress which made first raid on Germany in daylight. $Censor: We have names and hometowns of all.$ TET 254778. I 243.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Kingsdown, Ford County, Kansas, USA 9 September 1918

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Moosburg, Germany 6 March 1943 Held at Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria, Officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 4 July 1945.

Died

31 December 1953
Nampa, Canyon County, Idaho, USA Student at NW Nazareth College

Buried

Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas, USA Maple Grove cemetery, Kansas

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to Stalag 7A per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated Born, Died and Buried events per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 144483958.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144483958/earl-c.-tunnell

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

WWII Draft card
NARA WWII POW records
Pages 40 and 41 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/142694377 (NARA)
Page 31 of AV 51/43 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18238537 (NARA)
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Correcting typos in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Added Decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Edited Summary biography with A/C model, Unit association and crew position per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 89, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp. 73-4, NARA web site