Keith Bartlett
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
12-Mar-42 Assigned to 303BG/360BS in B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" as 2LT and Co-Pilot. Gowen Field (Boise), Idaho.
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Military
6-Mar-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F #41-24559 [PU-C], "Ooold Soljer:, 303BG 360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Ooold Soljer."
31-Mar-43 Despatched as Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24599 "Ooold Soljer" on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts" 303BG/358BS This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes crashed at Mears Ashby and 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there. According to 303rd's web site, Bradford had previously flown 15 missions with Lewis Lyle and is shown in a crew photo with Lyle's crew and a write up of his missions.
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Participated in 18 Operations (3 were aborted) See Biography events.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
12-Mar-42 Assigned to 303BG/360BS in B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" as 2LT and Co-Pilot. Gowen Field (Boise), Idaho.
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Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24559 'Ooold Soljer' was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-C] Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42.
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B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] 17-Feb-42 Gowen Field, Idaho; Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France on 23-Jan-43. 11 man crew. Belly-landed at...
17 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 49 B-17s despatched from 91BG (20), 303BG (16) and 306BG (13). Another element of 14 B-24s despatched from 93BG also joins the bombing force on St. Nazaire. The...
18 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed...
6 December 1942
The German airfield of Drucat at Abbeville, France is the primary target for 19 B-24s despatched from 44th Bomb Group but are recalled. One squadron of 6 does not hear the recall and proceeds to the target, 1 B-24 MIA.
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3 January 1943
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are once again the target for this mission. This is proving to be a particularly difficult target to destroy due to its massive, reinforced concrete design. It consists of 14 individual pens connected together in...
13 January 1943
The primary target for this mission is the Atclier d'Hellemmes locomotive works, associated steel works and the railroad marshalling yards at Lille, France. The attacking force is composed of 72 B-17s from: 91BG (13); 303BG (19); 305BG (23) and 306BG ...
23 January 1943
The port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the primary target for this mission. 305th Bombardment Group is selected as the lead group, but condensation on the bombsight of the lead aircraft in the Group prevents the 305BG from bombing Lorient...
27 January 1943
First successful attack by 8th Air Force into Germany. The 306th Bomb Group gets the distinction of being the first American Bomb Group to drop bombs on Germany. O Original target was Vegesack but clouded over. Col. Frank Armstrong lead the group. Two...
2 February 1943
All six 8th Air Force Bomb Groups operting from Great Britain are ordered on a mission to bomb the marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. 61 B-17s and 22 B-24s are despatched but the formation runs into severe weather over the North Sea and the mission in...
4 February 1943
The marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany are again designated as the primary target for this mission follwing the abortive attempt of 2-Feb-43. However, weather and extreme cold frustrate this operation also. The main attacking force consists of 65 B-17s...
16 February 1943
The port area and U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are designated as the primary target of this mission of 71 B-17s and 18 B-24s. B-17s are from 91BG (18); 303BG (15); 305BG (18); 306BG (20) of these 59 are effective on the target and 6 are lost....
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
Cemetery
Event | Location | Date |
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Born | Martinsburg, WV | 30 January 1918 |
Son of Mary Elfritz. |
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Lived in | Washington, DC | 1941 |
Enlisted | Washington, DC | 5 January 1942 |
Washington, District Of Columbia |
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Assigned to Aircraft | Boise, ID, USA | 6 March 1942 |
Assigned as an Aerial Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer" at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. |
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Arrived in UK | Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 |
Arrived at Molesworth, UK as a Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS. |
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Mission #1, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #2, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | 18 November 1942 | |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #3, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Lille, France | 6 December 1942 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #4, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS | Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #5, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Lille, France | 13 January 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #6, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #7, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | 27 January 1943 | |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshave, Germany. RTB OK. |
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Mission #8, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted | Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 |
Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK |
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Mission #9, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted | Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 |
Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas os Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
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Mission #10, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted | Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
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Mission #11, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Brest, France | 27 February 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #12, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 4 March 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK. |
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Mission #13, SGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Lorient, France | 6 March 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
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Promoted in Rank | Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 10 March 1943 |
Promoted in Rank to Staff Sergeant. |
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Mission #14, SSGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Rouen, France | 12 March 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #15, SSGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Amiens, France | 13 March 1943 |
Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #16, SSGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 22 March 1943 |
Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
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Mission #17, SSGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS | Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 |
Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
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Mission #18, SSGT Edward A. Bradford, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - KOM | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 |
Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. Aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with another B-17 of 358BS during assembly and crashed. He was killed. KOM |
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Buried | 1945 | |
Buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Plot D, ROw 1, Grave 59. |
Date | Contributor | Update |
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04 April 2020 12:33:33 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
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https://www.fold3.com/image/32145389 |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
28 February 2020 22:56:48 | jmoore43 | Changes to biography |
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Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
29 October 2019 22:04:19 | jmoore43 | Changes to person associations |
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Added a connection to pilot Keith O. Bartlett. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 20:43:22 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to biography |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added details and date to loss paragraphy in Summary Biography. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:43:38 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #18 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:40:53 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #17 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:39:03 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #16 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:36:40 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #15 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:33:54 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Promoted in Rank event pere 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/ |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:31:08 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #14 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:28:23 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
07 March 2016 19:24:45 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to biography and mission associations |
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Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Made connections to Missions of 6-Mar-43, 12-Mar-43, 13-Mar-43, 22-Mar-43, 28-Mar-43 and 31-Mar-4 and completed Participations statement in Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/ |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 19:18:15 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 19:15:45 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 127-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 19:12:47 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events and mission associations |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 19:07:05 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 19:03:43 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
25 February 2016 18:59:10 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:42:56 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:41:21 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:38:41 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:35:40 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:33:44 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:32:32 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:27:47 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Burial location per AMerican Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) records. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:23:40 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-lyle.html |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:21:52 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to events |
Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-lyle.html |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:18:28 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 23-Jan-43) and Mission (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-lyle.html |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 February 2016 23:14:29 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to biography |
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Lee Cunningham 6-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment, arrival in UK and edited loss account in Summary Biography per 303BG webstie, Gary Moncur, Historian, Lewis E Lyle crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-lyle.html |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:08:13 | AAM | AAM ingest |
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit history, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94, 303rd \web site, ABMC web site |