B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather', assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-U] Bangor 9-October-42; Molesworth 25-October-42. The original crew flew to Molesworth 24/25-Oct-42 except for Borysiewicz. The aircraft also carried as a passenger Captain Abraham Black who was the 303BG Flight Surgeon. The aircraft participated in 3 operations (1 abort). Missing in Action, 23-November-42 on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens ar St Nazaire, France. Shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed into the sea, in flames, near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. This was the first loss for the Group. 10KIA MACR 15075.
18-Nov-42 Mission #1 - U-Boat pens - St. Nazaire, France (see Biography)
22-Nov-42 Mission #2 - U-Boat pens - Lorient, France - Aborted (see Biography)
23-Nov-42 LAST OPERTAION Mission #3 U-Boat pens - St. Nazaire, France (see Biography)
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 | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 Nov 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Navigator. Aircraft was shot down by German aircraft and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 operations (1 aborted).
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Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Tail Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Particpated in 3 Operations (1 was...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Waist Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 Operation (1 was...
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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 | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as pilot. This was his first and only mission and considered an "orientation" flight. The regular pilot 1LT Artur E. Reddig served as Co-Pilot on this operation. Aircraft...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Radio Operator. Plane crashed in to Bay of Biscay. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 Operations (1 aborted) See Biography events.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
2LT John W. Plummer was orginally assigned as the Bombardier on B-17F, #41-24603 "Green Hornet" [BN-Y], 303BG/359BS on 10-Sep-42 at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas and arrived with the aircraft at Molesworth, UK on 22-Oct-42. Shot down 23 November 1942 in...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Co-Pilot Aircraft was shot down by German aircraft and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). The loss is documented on MACR 15075...
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Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Tail Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Particiapted in 3 Operations (1 was...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea ne Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 operations (1...
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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,...
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 |
Aircraft Assigned to Group |
Bangor, ME, USA |
9 October 1942 |
Aircraft B-17F 41-24568 was assigned to the 303BG/359BS on 9-Oct-42 and Bangor, Maine.
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Mission #1 B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
18 November 1942 |
Crew
P 1LT Arthur E. Reddig (RTD); CP 2LT Francis M. McMurtry (RTD)
N 2LT John Ercegovich, Jr. (RTD); B 2LT Grady B. Ward (RTD)
E/TTG TSGT Robert W. Van Fleet (RTD); RO TSGT Devon B. Nolen (RTD)
BTG SGT George T. Senior (RTD); LWG SSGT Ferrell A. Mann (RTD)
RWG not carried; TG SGT Alexander S. Greib (RTD)
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Mission #2 B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France |
22 November 1942 |
Crew
P 1LT Arthur E. Reddig (RTD); CP 2LT Francis M. McMurtry (RTD)
N 2LT John Ercegovich, Jr. (RTD); B 2LT Grady B. Ward (RTD)
E/TTG TSGT Robert W. Van Fleet (RTD); RO TSGT Devon B. Nolen
BTG SSGT Gerald S. Sturgis (RTD); LWG SSGT Ferrell A. Mann
RWG SGT George T. Senior (RTR); TG Alexander S. Grieb (RTD). Mission aborted, no reason given in Mission Report.
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Failed to Return (FTR) |
Belle Île, France |
23 November 1942 |
Shot down by German fighters, crashed in the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France
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Mission #3 B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France |
23 November 1943 |
Crew
P Capt Charles G. Miller (KIA); CP 1Lt Arthur E. Reddig (KIA)
N 2Lt John Ercegovich, Jr.(KIA); B 2Lt John W. Plummer (KIA)
E/TTG TSgt Devon B. Nollen (KIA); RO TSgt Robert W. Van Fleet (KIA)
BTG Sgt Alexander S. Grieb (KIA) WG SSgt Gerald S. Sturgis (KIA)
WG SSgt Ferrell A. Mann (KIA) TG Sgt George T. Senior (KIA)
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