![Staff Sergeant Harry J Brody of the 303rd Bomb Group receives a letter from home. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257536.' [Censor no] Printed caption on reverse: 'Holder of the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster, S/Sergt. Harry J. Brody, of Bloomfield, Montana, looks in the mail box for news from home. He is 24 years of age, formerly a cowboy, and engaged to Miss Jeanne Gertison, of Gendive, Montana. He has been on 21 raids but says that he is living](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-378849.jpg?itok=n9JSsbm_)
Irl Baldwin
Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Completed 25 x combat missions on 14-May-43. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Harry James Brody
Military
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"Enlisted men of the 303rd Bomb Group who have been awarded the coveted Distinguished Flying Cross wear their medal proudly. England. 23 May 1943." L-R: Joseph R Sunderlin, Uknk, Harry J Brody, Harold E Godwin, Kenneth C Hassler.
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![Staff Sergeant Harry J Brody of the 303rd Bomb Group receives a letter from home. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257536.' [Censor no] Printed caption on reverse: 'Holder of the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster, S/Sergt. Harry J. Brody, of Bloomfield, Montana, looks in the mail box for news from home. He is 24 years of age, formerly a cowboy, and engaged to Miss Jeanne Gertison, of Gendive, Montana. He has been on 21 raids but says that he is living](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/freeman/media-378849.jpg?itok=KmC9GgDm)
Staff Sergeant Harry J Brody of the 303rd Bomb Group receives a letter from home. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257536.' [Censor no] Printed caption on reverse: 'Holder of the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster, S/Sergt. Harry J. Brody, of Bloomfield, Montana, looks in the mail box for news from home. He is 24 years of age, formerly a cowboy, and engaged to Miss Jeanne Gertison, of Gendive, Montana. He has been on 21 raids but says that he is living "high and easy". He went to the Circle High School, Montana. U.56. Not to be published before Apl. 20, 1943.'
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The crew of the Boeing B-17 'Hells Angels' poses after returning to their Base in England after completing their 28th Mission. They are, L - R: Lt. R.W. Joy of San Francisco, CA., Co-Pilot; S/Sgt. Harold E. Godwin of Los Angeles CA., Tail gunner, Capt Donald R Bone of Temple, OK Bombardier: S/Sgt HJ Brody of Glendive, MO ball turret gunner; T/Sgt Russell M Warren of Flora, IL radio operator: Capt Hubert E Miller of Ridgeland, SC navigator; M/Sgt Fabian Folmer ground crew chief (on millers shoulders); T/Sgt Dennis Weiskoff of Miami, FL waist gunner; Capt Irl E Baldwin of Yakima, WA pilot; S/Sgt Fred Meddough of New Milford, CT waist gunner; and T/Sgt James Rodriguez of Ozone Park, NY engineer. They are all members of the 303rd Bomb Group. 15-Jun-43.
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"Combat and ground crew of Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Hell's Angels. 303rd Bomb Group, England. 6 June 1943." Ground crew L-R: Ernest H Touhey, Kasmer Wegrzyn, John R Johnson, John R Kosilla, Unkn, Wilson F Fairfield, Fabian S. Folmer. Crew L-R: James E Rodriguez Jr, Harold E Godwin, Harry J Brody, Donald R Bone, Hubert E Miller, Ripley W Joy, Allerton F Meddaugh Jr, Irl E Baldwin, Unkn, Unkn.
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"Captain Baldwin and crew who participated in the raid on Kiel, Germany, pose in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress". 303rd Bomb Group, England. 15 May 1943." Rear L-R: Unkn, Donald R Bone, Unkn, Kirk R Mitchell, Irl E Baldwin, Ripley W Joy. Front L-R : Harry J Brody, Allerton F Meddaugh Jr, James E Rodriguez Jr, Harold E Godwin, Russell M Warren.
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" "You should have seen the one that got away," says Capt. Irl E. Baldwin of Yakima, Washington, pilot of the Boeing B-17 "HELLS ANGELS," as he and his flight crew relate their experiences on their 28th mission to the ground crew at their base in England. All are members of the 303rd Bomb Group. 15-Jun-43."
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"Interrogation officer questions the crew of Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Hell's Angels' after their return from a mission over enemy territory. 303rd Bomb Group, England. 14 February 1943."
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"The earth feels good to the crew of the Boeing B-17 "HELLS ANGELS" of the 303rd Bomb Group after returning from their 28th mission on 15 June 1943. England."
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"Capt Baldwin and crew who participated in the raid on Kiel, Germany, pose in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress". 303rd Bomb Group, England. 15-May-43." Rear L-R: Unkn, 1Lt Donald R Bone, 1Lt Parley N Madsen, Maj Kirk R Mitchell, Capt Irl E Baldwin, 1Lt Ripley W Joy. Front L-R: S/Sgt Harry J Brody,S/Sgt Allerton F Meddaugh Jr, T/Sgt James E Rodriguez Jr, S/Sgt Harold E Godwin, T/Sgt Russell M Warren
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Ball Turret Gunner, Harry J. Brody, of the 303rd BG
Jim Brody grew up in eastern Montana. He flew his missions as the ball turret gunner on the B-17 "Hell's Angels" (Baldwin crew) and returned to the U.S. I have heard that he was credited with destroying 11 German airplanes, but I don't know if that is correct. When he returned to the U.S. he was stationed at the Laredo Texas Army Airfield. My father was an aerial gunnery instructor there and he and Jim became friends and rodeoed together when they could get off base. Jim was a bronc rider (the best I ever saw) and my dad was a calf roper. After the war Jim acquired a large ranch near Circle, Montana and we would visit the Brodys every Summer. Jim was killed in a truck accident on the ranch in 1957.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME.
Service
People
Units served with
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8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ... -
303rd Bomb Group
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... -
358th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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41-24577 Hell's Angels
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24577 "Hells Angels" was assigned to 358BS/303BG [VK-D] Bangor 14-Oct-42; arrived at Molesworth 24-Oct-42; in landing accident with Irl E. Baldwin 26-Apr-43; slated to RAF 100 Squadron, but retained by 803rd BS ATD (American Training...
Associated Place
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Molesworth
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...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Glendive, MT | 20 April 1918 |
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Son of Elsie Brody. |
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| Enlisted | 14 July 1943 | |
| Discharged USAAF | 4 August 1945 | |
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Honourable discharge. |
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| Died | 2 August 1957 | |
| Buried | Dawson County Cemetery Glendive, Dawson County, MT | 5 August 1957 |
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Dawson County Cemetery |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 11 June 2021 20:26:55 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/704891786 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 May 2019 21:44:21 | jmoore43 | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Corrected spelling in the description. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 May 2019 21:42:48 | jmoore43 | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Added a connection to A/C 41-24577. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 May 2018 03:21:48 | Texag45 | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Terrell Mullins |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:12:23 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roster |
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