Harold C Mattson
Military ROLL OF HONOURHarold Wattson arrived at the ETO on 25 October 1944. He was Pilot on the mission to Gymnich / Köln on 10 January 1945 in B-17 #44-8446. Mattson was flying as the deputy leader to James A. McKinney. His B-17 was caught in the Flak barrage and when last seen, 44-8446 had number 1 and 2 engines on fire and was going down. It was presumed that Mattson and Ball Turret gunner Sergeant Joseph T. Zymanek were still in the plane when it crashed. Rest of crew survived and became Prisoners of War (POW).
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: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-773294
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Bombardier / Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36580167
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13168324
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner, Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39716073
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19151753 and O-775051
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bahama A. Abel
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
Missions
- Date: 10 January 1945
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.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Enlisted |
Chicago, Illinois, United States | 4 December 1942 | as a Private in the Air Corps |
|
Other Killed In Action (KIA) |
near Wahl, Köln, Germany | 10 January 1945 | in the crash of B-17 # 44-8446 |
|
Born |
Chicago, Illinois, USA | ||
| Hibbing, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States | |||
|
Buried |
Harold C. Mattson rests at the Neupré Cemetery, Belgium - Plt C, Row 22, Grave 8 |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 11746 / MACR 11746; First Over Germany pg. 300; Russell Strong Index Cards, 306th BGA Collection, http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/wardept/pfr / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…
