B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie' [BN-W] was assigned 303BG/359BS [BN-W] at Alamogordo Field, New Mexico on 23-Jun-42. Stationed at Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan until 3-Oct-42 when it went to Bangor, Maine for deployment to England.; Molesworth 25-Oct-42. Shot down 20-Dec-42 by enemy aircraft, crashed in Channel, off Dieppe, France while on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. 10KIA MACR 15708. Participated in 4 Operations (1 aborted) See Biography events
18-Nov-42 Mission #1 - U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France (See Biography events)
22-Nov-42 Mission #2 - U-Boat pens at Lorient, France (See Biography events)
12-Dec-42 Mission #3 - Railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France - Aborted (See Biography events)
20-Dec-42 LAST OPERATION - Mission #4 - Air Depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France MIA
Service
Units
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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...
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People
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17 41-24566 'Zombie', 303BG/359BS while serving as Radio Operator on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593. Participated in 4 Operations (1 was aborted)....
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Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie' 303BG/360BS, while serving as Navigator on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. MACR 15593. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 4 Operations (1 was aborted). See...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 14 May 1943 in B-17F #42-5243 "FDR's Potato Peeler Kids", 303BG/359BS. Battle damaged aircraft crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA).MACR 15593
Mission participation (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie', 303G/259BS while serving as Bombardier on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593. Participated in 4 Operations (1 was aborted) See...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 303BG/359BS on 23-Jun-42 at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Arrived at Molesworth on 25-Oct-42. Biography UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie' 202BG/359BS while serving as Right Waist Gunner on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. MACR 15593. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 4 operations (1 Aborted)....
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down on 20 December 1942 in B-17F #41-24566 'Zombie' while serving as Co-Pilot. Killed in Action (KIA). Originally assigned to 1LT Arthur E. Reddig's crew in B-17F #41-24568 "Lady Fairweather". Flew two missions with 1LT Reddig: 18-Nov-42 and 22...
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Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942, in B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie', 303BG/359BS while serving as Ball Turret Gunner on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593. Participated in 4 Operations (1-Aborted)...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down on 20 December 1942 in B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie', 303BG/359BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593 Body found February 1, 1943 and taken...
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Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer | 303rd Bomb Group
13 Feb-42 Assigned as Operations Officer of 303 Bomb Group at Pendleton Field, Pendleton, Oregon with the rank of Major. 15-Sep-42 appointed Commanding Office of 303BG/359th Bombardment Squadron. See Biography events. MISSION participation currently...
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Missions
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18 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed...
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22 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the Primary (P) target of this mission. A combined force of 68 B-17s despatched from 91BG (18), 303BG (18) 305BG (23) and 306BG (9) against the target but a 10/10 could cover prevents all but 11 from 303BG from...
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23 November 1942
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) for this mission. A combined force of 50 B-17s despatched from 91BG (10), 303BG (12), 305BG (20) and 306BG (8) to attack this target. 91BG is not able to put any of their group on the target,...
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12 December 1942
This mission is composed of two elements. First element: The German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a force of 78 B-17s despatched from 91BG (19), 303BG (20), 305BG (21) and 306BG (18). However, the target is...
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20 December 1942
The German Air Depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 80 B-17s despatched by 91BG (17), 303BG (21); 305BG (23) and 306BG (19). 60 B-17 are effective on the target, but 7 are MIA and 1 is DBR.
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Places
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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 |
Assigned to Group |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA |
23 June 1942 |
Assigned to the 306BG/359BS on 23-Jun-42 at Alamogordo Field, New Mexico.
Original Crew
P 1LT Orville S. Witt; CP 2LT George C. Woodman
N 2LT Donald H. Brightbill; B 2LT Wilmer E. Dyar
E/TTG SSGT Lyle C. Woods; RO CPL Edmund R. Thornton
BTG SSGT Warner E. Renner; LWG Not assigned
RWG Not assigned; TG SSGT Lawrence C. Thomas
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Station Transfer |
Battle Creek, MI, USA |
7 August 1942 – 3 October 1942 |
Stations at Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan.
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Station Transfer for Deployment |
Bangor, ME, USA |
3 October 1942 – 24 October 1942 |
Transferred to Bangor, Maine in preparation for deployment to England.
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Mission #1 B-17F 41-24566, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
18 November 1942 |
CREW
P 1LT Orville S. Witt, Jr. (RTB); CP 1LT Herbert E. Kalhoefer (RTB)
N 1LT Donald H. Brightbill (RTB); B 1LT Wilmer Dyar (RTB) E/TTG TSGT Lyle C. Woods (RTB); RO TSGT Thomas F. Bachom (RTB)
BTG CPL Bernard W Millet (RTB); LWG SSGT Warner E. Renner (RTB)
RWG SSGT Harold A. Kinsey (RTB); TG SSGT Laurence W. Thomas (RTB)
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Mission #2 B-17F 41-24566, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France |
22 November 1942 |
CREW
CMP MAJ Eugene A. Romig (RTB); CP 2LT Walter E. Dooley (RTB)
N 1LT Donald H. Brightbill (RTB); B 1LT Wilmer Dyar (RTB) E/TTG TSGT Lyle C. Woods (RTB); RO TSGT Thomas F. Bachom (RTB)
BTG CPL Bernard W Millet (RTB); LWG SSGT Warner E. Renner (RTB)
RWG SSGT Harold A. Kinsey (RTB); TG SSGT Laurence W. Thomas (RTB)
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Mission #3 B-17F 41-24566, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France |
12 December 1942 |
CREW
CMP Eugene A. Romig (RTB); CP 1LT Herbert E. Kalhoefer (RTB)
N 1LT Donald H. Brightbill (RTB); B 1LT Wilmer Dyar (RTB) E/TTG TSGT Lyle C. Woods (RTB); RO TSGT Thomas F. Bachom (RTB)
BTG CPL Bernard W Millet (RTB); LWG SSGT Warner E. Renner (RTB)
RWG SSGT Harold A. Kinsey (RTB); TG SSGT Laurence W. Thomas (RTB)
Mission Aborted.
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Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW) |
English Channel |
20 December 1942 |
Shot down by enemy aircraft near the Channel coast.
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Mission #4 B-17F 41-24566, 303BG/359BS - MIA |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France |
20 December 1942 |
CREW
P 1LT Orville S. Witt, Jr. (KIA); CP 2LT Francis M McMurtry, Jr. (KIA)
N 1LT Donald H. Brightbill (KIA); B 1LT Wilmer Dyar (KIA)
E/TTG TSGT Lyle C. Woods (KIA); RO TSGT Thomas F. Bachom (KIA)
BTG CPL Bernard W Millet (KIA); LWG SSGT Warner E. Renner (KIA) [body washed up 1-Feb-43]
RWG SSGT Harold A. Kinsey (KIA);TG SSGT Laurence W. Thomas (KIA)
Mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-su-Seine, France.
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