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The control tower at Thorpe Abbotts, home of the 100th Bomb Group, 1952. Handwritten caption on reverse: '1952, 100 BG.'
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Sergeant Walter V Budziszewski, of the 100th Bomb Group, checks his rifle.
Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238803.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '"Now send me a Hun" said Sgt. Walter Charles Buazisz, of 3510, McLeen Avenue, Chicago. Sgt Budzisz likes England all right but he wishes "he could get some American beer". He sends "Happy days" to his fiancee Miss Imogene Starbach, of Freewater, Oregon. Educated at Weber High School, Sgt. Buzisz hopes to take back some real he-man stories for the entertainment of the school. AC 85.'
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B-17 Flying Fortresses, (LL-F, serial number 42-97467) of the 91st Bomb Group, (OJ-G, serial number 42-97212) of the 96th Bomb Group and (LD-D, serial number 42-39994 nicknamed SNORT STUFF) of the 100th Bomb Group in Sweden, 1944. SNORT STUFF flown to Sweden on March 6, 1944 mission to BERLIN. Written on slide casing: 'Sweden, 297467 LL:F, 18/7/44, 297212 OJ:G, 11/4/44, 239994, LD:D 6/3/44 (SNORT STUFF-LT SAMUEL BARRICK CREW)
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Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.' The plane is # 44-48854 of 701st Bomb Squadron. Pilot : William O. Shank.
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An ambulance of the 100th Bomb Group attends to crew of a burning B-24 Liberator of the 445th that crashed whilst attempting to land at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: 'Crash at Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'
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Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'
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The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3271 EP-L) nicknamed "Nine Little Yanks and a Jerk" of the 100th Bomb Group. This plane is most associated with the crew of Capt Robert L. Hughes. Handwritten caption on reverse: '100th BG 13th CBW.'
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B-17G Flying Fortress nicknamed "Hang The Expense IV" of the 100th Bomb Group that overshot the runway at Thorpe Abbotts.
The date, the letters and numbers at the bottom of the accompanying nose-on photo - "97560" and "96GP" confirm this is "Hang The Expense IV" Serial 42-97560, involved in a landing accident at Thorpe Abbotts on 19 May 1944. Pilot Frank E. Valesh. Salvaged 19/5/44.
(Amended 30/6/17)
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A bomber crew of the 100th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30035) nicknamed "Torchy".
From left to right:
Sgt James M Johnson, of Holdenville, Okla., waist gunner;
Sgt Donald Garrison, of Eldorado, Ill., waist-gunner;
Lt. August Gaspar, of Oakland, Calif., bombardier;
Lt. Frank Murphy, of Ax, Georgia, navigator;
Lt. Glenn Graham, of Freedom, Pa.,
Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau ' [stamp], '280032.' [Censor No].
Printed caption on reverse: 'Men who made shuttle-bombing raid on Regensburg. Associated Press Photo shows, left to right: Sgt Jas. M. Johnson, of Holdenville, Okla., waist gunner; Sgt Donald Gallison, of Eldorado, Ill., waist-gunner; Lt. August Gasper, of Oakland, Calif., bombardier; Lt. Frank Murphy, of Ax, Georgia, navigator; Lt. Glenn Graham, of Freedom, Pa., co-pilot, seen wearing fezes and holding Arabian knives on their arrival back at a bomber station "somewhere in England" yesterday, August 22.'
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Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380).
Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.]
Printed caption on reverse: 'Men who made shuttle-bombing raid on Regensburg. Associated Press Photo shows, left to right Lt Kenneth I Menzie of Winfield ,Kansas; Lt Donald l Strout,of Boston Mass., and Lt Norman H Scott of Los Angeles, looking over the route which they took when flying.'
Home of the 'Bloody Hundredth’, a Bomb Group with a reputation for high casualty rates, Thorpe Abbotts was under USAAF control from June 1943 to the end of the war. Some of the airfield survives today, and the control tower houses the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which tells the stories of the base and the men who flew the 100th's B-17s in combat over Germany.
Detailed history
Not yet known
English Heritage's record description
A former World War Two military airfield, opened in 1943. The airfield was constructed by John Laing and Sons to "Class A" standard: that is to say it was provided with three intersecting concrete runways and a perimeter track, with Type T2 aircraft hangars. There were fuel storage facilities on the north and east sides of the airfield; the technical site buildings, ammunition dump and barracks were dispersed in fields and woodland to the south of the flying field. The control tower on the north side of the airfield is extant and is now a museum. The main unit using the airfield during World War Two was the United States Army 8th Air Force 100th Bomb Group, nicknamed the "bloody 100th" because of the losses they sustained in their missions. The airfield was designated as USAAF Station 139 by the Americans. After the war the airfield transferred to Royal Air Force control but was inactive until its closure in 1956. After closure the airfield was used for agricultural purposes, however the perimeter track has survived, and a number of ruined huts were still evident in woodland in 2000.
Service
Units
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Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
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Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60
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Headquarters
https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=421
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People
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 100th Bomb Group
Crashed near Jemmcritz on 10 Apr 45 in B-17 #43-38963, Prisoner of War (POW).
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Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group
Louis Abromowitz was First Navigator on B-17 42-97564 when it was shot down on the 20 July 1944 mission to Merseburg and the plane had to make a forced landing near Chaam, Holland. Like 4 other crew members, Abromowitz managed to evade capture, with...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down 24 May 1944 in B-17 #42-97845. Prisoner of War (POW).
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Bombardier | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down 18 March 1945 in AC #43-38861, Berlin. Prisoner of War (POW).
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down 25 June 1943 in B-17 #42-3260 'Angel's Tit'. Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
Crashed N of Itzehoe, GR on a mission to Berlin on 3 Mar 1944 in B-17G #42-39817 'Murderer's Row'. Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Chas Peterson crew. Failed to Return Abbeville mission in B-17 43-37591; collided with another aircraft 5-Jun-44. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 5383
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters and crashed near Hanover on a mission to Brunswick on 10 Feb 1944 in B-17G #42-31265. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer, Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
14 November 1942 to 26 March 1943 XFR First Commanding Officer of the 100th BG. He was relieved of his command with the 100th for alleged incompetence due to statements he made and sent to the 449th BG in Italy. He flew 11 combat missions, on his 12th...
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Military | Corporal | Waist Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
Flew on Lazzari's crew
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Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered MacDill 7/3/42; Assigned 340BS/97BG Polebrook 3/42; transferred 305BG Grafton Underwood 5/11/42; transferred 326BS/92BG [JW-M] ; Bovingdon 100BG Thorpe Abbotts as station hack & tow target /43; was parked at Thorpe Abbotts when damaged in...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Cheyenne 1/3/44; Hunter 14/3/44; Grenier 11/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-H] Thorpe Abbotts 19/4/44; Missing in Action St Lo, 25/7/44 with Larry Townsend, Co-pilot: Andy Burkhart, Navigator: Arnold Holmes, Bombardier: George Gardner, Radio Operator:...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 9/3/44; Gr Island 29/3/44; Dow Fd 7/4/44; Assigned 100BG Thorpe Abbotts 7/4/44; transferred 339BS/96BG [QJ-G] Snetterton 8/4/44; Missing in Action Politz 25/8/44 with Chas Jennings, Co-pilot: Styrlin Scogin, Navigator: Delmar...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 92BG Podington 30/4/44; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-O] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Henry Jespersen, Co-pilot: Bob Atkins, Bombardier: Joe Savino,...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Hunter 10/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-F] Thorpe Abbotts 30/4/44; on return from Merseburg 28/7/44 with Jim Ransom, Co-pilot: Keith Lamb, Navigator: Francis Waldman, Bombardier: Jim Wood, Flight engineer...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/3/44; Gr Island 2/4/44; Dow Fd 19/4/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-E] Thorpe Abbotts 22/4/44; Missing in Action practice mission 27/6/44 with John Donaldson, Co-pilot: Gail Campbell, Navigator: Gene O’Connell, Bombardier: Hugh...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 19/3/44; Hunter 9/4/44; Dow Fd 27/4/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-A] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; transferred 349BG [XR-P]; battle damaged Merseburg with Bob Chamberlin 29/7/44; Salvaged 8/8/44. VARGA VENUS.
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 19/3/44; Hunter 9/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR- ] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Clarke Johnson, Co-pilot: Ray Lund, Navigator: Tom Tracy, Bombardier: Willard Hahn, Flight engineer/top...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 20/3/44; Kearney 15/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR- ] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Martin Hoskinson, Co-pilot: Marvin Apking, Navigator: Joe Silvestro, Bombardier: Norman Robitoy,...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 23/3/44; Kearney 13/4/44; Grenier 28/4/44; Slated 447BG, Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-L] Thorpe Abbotts 21/4/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Bob Roeder, Co-pilot: Paul Lammers, Navigator: Claud Robison, Bombardier: Milton...
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