Kenneth Henry Dobson
MilitaryKenneth Dobson was on board B-17 Serial 42-31466 when it was shot down on the 29 May 1944 mission to Leipzig Germany. Evaded capture for more than 3 months with the help of Belgian citizens and members of the Comète escape network. Hidden with his fellow crew members in a secret camp in the Belgian Ardennes and awaiting the Liberation. On 7 September 1944, the camp was raided by Germans and all managed to escape, except Dobson who was captured and sent to Germany. See the story of his escape at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fdobsonkh.html
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12064547
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32711732
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33238118
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-703243
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-819012
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
![A battle-damaged B-17 Flying Fortress (CC-A, serial number 42-31466) of the 569th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group at Manston, 17 April 1944. Official caption on image: "754(44) - W.P.U. - 4-17-44 - Manston - Battle Damage - B-17G 42-31455 - R.Z. FSAD." Handwritten caption on reverse: '390th Bomb Group, 13th Combat Wing, 3rd Air Division.' On reverse: Photographic Section USAAF Station 595 [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-414089.jpg.webp?itok=6ukp1gcv)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sitting Pretty
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 29 May 1944
Places
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
27 November 1916 | North Andover, Massachusetts | |
|
Other Evaded capture |
29 May 1944 - 7 September 1944 | Helped by Belgian citizens and members of the Belgian underground | |
|
Other captured |
7 September 1944 | while trying to escape after a German raid on the secret camp in the Belgian Ardennes | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
7 September 1944 | Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow/Tychowo, Poland | |
|
Died |
2 October 1972 | Massachusetts, USA | |
| North Andover Town, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA |
Revisions
MACR 5314
RAMP Report of 2 May 1945
Comète network archives ("Operation Marathon")
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5314 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database