Strong states Hobbs was only the 2nd enlisted man in the 306th to complete his required 25 missions. He served on B-17 42-29649 piloted by CPT Mack McKay and copiloted by Lieutenant L. P. Johnson. McKay was transferred to the 368th as squadron commander and L. P. Johnson took over the crew. On the first mission without Hobbs, the plane was attacked by fighters and caught on fire. The pilot landed at Cornwall. Hobb's replacement as the BTG was Maynard 'Snuffy' Smith who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on this day. 3 parachuted out of the burning plane and were lost. .