George Henry Bartuska
Military
Richard H. Bailey Crew
388th BG - 561st BS
Standing Left to Right: George Bartuska (B), Richard H. Bailey (P), William L. Tobin (CP), Laurence M. Bairstow (N)
Kneeling Left to Right: Ned Transou (R/O), John J. Thompson (FE), Donald E. Marble (WG), Ralph Higgins (TG), Edward L. Gwinnell (WG), Roy L. Graziani (BTG)
Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 1481 - A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse:...
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-793713
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Peg O My Heart
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Worry Bird/Miss Bea Haven
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Big Red
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Willie
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Whiting, IN, USA | 16 July 1919 | |
|
Enlisted |
Indianapolis, IN, USA | 24 September 1941 | Fort Benjamin Harrison |
|
Other 388th BG Combat Tour |
Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 24 July 1943 - 25 June 1944 | |
|
Other WIA |
Paris, France | 9 September 1943 | The briefed route was followed to the IP when our lead bombardier (Lt. Bartuska) was hit by flak and unable to complete the bomb run on the Primary target. There was cloud cover over the secondary target which was the Beaumont/Sur Olao Airfield with bombing results being poor. |
|
Died |
Alpine, TX, USA | 28 March 1989 | |
|
Buried |
Alpine, TX, USA | 1 April 1989 | Elm Grove Cemetery • Alpine, Brewster County, Texas, USA |
Revisions
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.388bg.info/Personnel.html