42-30310 Bonnie V.

media-33349.jpeg UPL 33349 "On the bomb over Toulon, the wing B-17 has opened its bomb bay door and will soon be directly over the target: Nazi submarine pens and repair facilities."

- 42-30310 419th BS 301st BG.

Object Number - UPL 33349 - "On the bomb over Toulon, the wing B-17 has opened its bomb bay door and will soon be directly over the target: Nazi submarine pens and repair...

Delivered Cheyenne 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 29/5/43; Morrison 9/6/43; Assigned 419BS/301BG St Donat 12/6/43; Oudna 6/8/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; Missing in Action 31m Regensburg 25/2/44 with Chester Koch, Loy Allen, Ralph Nyren, Paul Parent, (?Watson?), Matt Sheils, Rudolph Wild, Dwight Kimberlin, Jim Montecallo (9? Prisoner of War); Warren Johnson (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Seebach; Missing Air Crew Report 2597.



My father, Glenn Rhodes, left Smoky Hill with this new Fort and two other ships, headed for North Africa via the southern route. They left Natal in South America, en route to Dakar. When they got to Dakar, Dad's CO borrowed the plane to check out a friend who was headed back to the US and wanted his four engine rating. Although they were warned about the importance of paying attention to the mesh mats on the runway, they didn't, and as a result, tore out part of the landing gear, and had to fly her up to Oran for repairs. She re-entered service after the repairs with a different crew, and eventually went to Italy when the 12th joined the 15th there. She was to be named "Bonnie V" after my mom. I'm assuming he left the first digits off his drawing (attached to this entry) for intelligence purposes, as the sketch is from the book he kept while at Stalag Luft 1.

Connections

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Units served with

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-755256
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37224913
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Kimberlin standing far right
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39550911
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747433
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32243717
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

Missions

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorRhodes
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Sources

See attached sketch.

Date
ContributorRhodes
Changes
Sources

Recorded narrative from my dad during a speech given pertaining to his experiences as a B-17 pilot.

Date
ContributorRhodes
Changes
Sources

Narrative from my father, Glenn J. Rhodes, and a drawing by him, documented in the book that he maintained during his time at Stalag Luft 1. I have attached the drawing to this aircraft's entry.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorram957
Changes
Sources

MACR

Date
Contributorram957
Changes
Sources

MACR

Date
Contributorram957
Changes
Sources

FOLD 3 USAAF PHOTOS

Date
Contributorram957
Changes
Sources

Boeing Production Chart

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

42-30310: Gallery (2 items)