8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Douglas B-17F-65-DL Fortress Ser.# 42-3455 “Lucky 13”
8th Air Force
384th Bombardment Group
546th Bombardment Squadron
Original Crew
Connections
Units
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384th Bomb Group
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by... -
546th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Oscar Hamblin
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #423455 'Lucky Thirteen. ' Evaded (EVD). -
Harry Hawes
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #42-3455 'Lucky Thirteen', Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Warren Holland
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #423455 'Lucky Thirteen. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Charles Kirby
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #42-3455 'Lucky Thirteen', Prisoner of War (POW). POW; 2 Purple Hearts, EAME ribbon w 1 star/ Air Medal w 2/Oak Leaf Cluster -
James Morley
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #423455 'Lucky Thirteen. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Richard Pierce
Military
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Jacques Riddel
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Shot down in B-17 42-30032 BK-D, SKY QUEEN on 28 July 1943. Killed in Action. Missing Air Crew Report #15165. -
William Ross
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #423455 'Lucky Thirteen. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Edward Ruch
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #423455 'Lucky Thirteen. ' Prisoner of War (POW). POW -
Harry Saperstein
Military
Aircraft
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42-3455 Lucky Thirteen
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 21/6/43; Dow 28/7/43; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-M] Grafton Underwood 11/8/43; Missing in Action Stuttgart 6/9/43 with Russ Faulkner, Bombardier: Harry Hawes, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Oscar Hamblin (3 evaded capture), Co...
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 82
15 August 1943
German airfields in Holland and France are the targets for this mission. All of the attacks were made late in the afternoon just prior to sunset. The mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (20... -
VIII Bomber Command 83
16 August 1943
This mission consists of two elements of B-17s despatched to bomb the German airfields of Le Bourget (Paris), Poix and Abbeville, France. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (21); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20);... -
VIII Bomber Command 87
27 August 1943
This mission is the first attack by the USAAF on suspected V-Weapon sites. The German development of pilotless winged aircraft was first divulged to the British just shortly after the beginning of World War II in two letters sent to the British embassy... -
VIII Bomber Command 90
3 September 1943
German airfields in France and the Caudron-Renault works at Paris are the targets for this mission. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 168 B-17s from: 91BG (14); 351BG (19); 381BG (22); 92BG (19); 305BG ... -
VIII Bomber Command 91
6 September 1943
This mission was planned as massive attack of 338 B-17s on the industrial areas of Stuttgart, Germany and would be supported by a formation of 69 B-24s flying a diversion. This would be the first action from the UK for the B-24 Groups that had recently...
Locations
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Grafton Underwood
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 26 April 2019 23:24:26 | phrecine@gmail.com | Created entry with caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
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n/a |
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