George A Tracy

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Killed in Action (KIA). Shot down 6 March 1943 in B-17F #42-5378, 306BG/367BS while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. 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 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. According to Russell Strong, Tracy had been killed in the plane during the fighter attacks.

Connections

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Units served with

306th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

367th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Robert Edward Biggs

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

Meyer Etkin

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

Andrew Jackson Friedrich

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

Charles David Hill

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 13050532
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Charles Kenneth Kirby

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].

42-5378

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

Missions

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Hell's Angels" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed for publication 24 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Public To See Veteran Raider. The famous Flying Fortress "Hell's Angels," which has raided enemy territory 41 times dropping 205,000 lbs of bombs and shooting down 16 enemy fighters, is to be flown to the United States where it will "tour" the country for inspection by the American public. Its targets include St. Nazaire (3 times), Wilhelmshave

VIII Bomber Command 40

Date: 6 March 1943

Places

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'

Thurleigh

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Bedford

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Eureka, California	19 November 1922
Enlisted		23 January 1942	San Francisco, California
Other Killed in Action (KIA)	Lorient, France	6 March 1943	Killed in action when the aircraft was attacked and shot down by German fighters near Lorient, France.
Buried	Eureka, California	7 March 1943	at the Guidel cemetery, NW of Lorient, France
Buried			after the war, his remains were brought back to the USA. George Tracy rests at the Sunset Memorial Park in Eureka, Humboldt County, California

Revisions

Date26 Aug 2020 12:26:59

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment 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)
NARA Headstone Applications

Date30 Jul 2015 19:21:07

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added KIA event and edited Summary Biography with A/C model letter and Unit association, crew position and information on recovery of remains per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:10:46

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 , WWII National Monument web site NARA and brother's entries