George West
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 28-May-44 in B-17 42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 5309.
Awards: AM (3OLC), PH
Francis Lawrence Russell
Military
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George E. West Crew 401st BG - 612th BS Back Row L to R: Hugh D. Russel (LWG), Alfred J. Morini (RWG), Michael Lefkin (TG), Thomas B. Montgomery (B) Middle Row L to R: Douglas H. McKinnon (CP), George E. West (P), Lloyd A. Nutter (N) Front Row: ? Stewart (BTG), Robert L. Andrus (R/O), Francis L. Russell (FE) This crew was shot down on their 27th mission, 28 May 1944. West, H. Russel, and Lefkin were KIA, the remainder were captured. Stewart was not part of the crew when they were shot down.
Shot down 28 May 1944 in B-17 #42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Service
People
Units served with
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401st Bomb Group
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... -
612th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-102393 Diana Queen Of The Chase
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/44; Hunter 22/3/44; Grenier 2/4/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-R] Deenethorpe 16/4/44; 111m, Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal... -
42-107039 Ice Cold Katy
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 3/2/44; Grenier 27/2/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-M] Deenethorpe 23/3/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 7/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 13/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 28/11/45... -
42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'
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... -
42-31057
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 13/9/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-G] Horham 29/9/43; 10m 16/12/43, with Larry Kerr, Co-pilot: John Murphy, Navigator: Murray Ball, Bombardier: Ed Harty, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Marion Brace, Radio Operator: Howard Pollard,... -
42-31496 Salvo Sadie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-Q] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Berlin 21/6/44 with Jack Atherton, Co-pilot: Don Awalt, Navigator: Dick Fitzmaurice, Bombardier: John Whelan, Flight engineer/top turret... -
42-40050 Channel Express III
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 16/11/43; Gr Island 4/12/43; Presque Is 11/12/43; Prestwick, UK 15/12/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-J] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; Missing in Action Bordeaux 19/6/44 with Bill Massey, Bombardier: Lew Stelljes, Flight engineer/top turret... -
42-97487 Hangover Haven
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 30/11/43; Kearney 16/12/43; Presque Isle 19/12/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-C] Deenethorpe 12/1/44; crash landed base 3/10/44, Salvaged 2 SAD. HANGOVER HAVEN.
Missions
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376
28 May 1944
Associated Place
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Deenethorpe
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... -
Stalag Luft III
Other location
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Wabasha County, MN, USA | 14 August 1923 |
| Lived in | Wabasha County, MN, USA | 1942 |
| Enlisted | St Paul, MN, USA | 30 October 1942 |
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Fort Snelling |
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| 401st BG Combat Tour | Deenethorpe Airfield, Deenethorpe NN17 3AN, UK | 30 December 1943 – 28 May 1944 |
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27 combat missions |
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| Shot Down/Captured | Krensitz, 04509 Krostitz, Germany | 28 May 1944 |
| POW | Zagan, Poland | 28 May 1944 – 30 May 1945 |
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Stalag Luft III |
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| Died | Wabasha County, MN, USA | 10 March 1995 |
| Buried | Wabasha, MN 55981, USA | 14 March 1995 |
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Saint Felix Cemetery • Wabasha, Wabasha County, Minnesota, USA |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 18 January 2020 05:26:07 | jmoore43 | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for readability. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 December 2017 03:07:07 | 466thHistorian | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 December 2017 03:01:17 | 466thHistorian | Changes to middlename, nickname, service number, role, awards, events, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.ww2pow.info/index.php?page=directory&rec=110150 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:09:49 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5309, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1371 |
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