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Leigh Crew 711: (As assigned Nov 8, 1943) Lt Richard Leigh, Lt Nathan Gutmacher, Lt Donald Rubin, Lt John McSweeney, Sgt Donald Rusch, Sgt Fred Maddox, Sgt Lewis Szurleys, Sgt Lawrence Whithuhn, Sgt Donald Nevills, Sgt Bernard Patchett

Connections

Units

  • 447th Bomb Group

    447th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces...

  • 711th Bomb Squadron

    711th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Nathan Gutmacher

    Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot

  • Fred Maddox

    Military | Technical Sergeant
    Killed in Action (KIA) on 16 Mar 1944.

  • John McSweeney

    Military | First Lieutenant

  • Donald Nevills

    Military

  • Bernard Patchett

    Military

  • Donald Rubin

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator
    Killed in Action (KIA) on October 2, 1944. Lt. Rubin was the Navigator flying with the crew of Capt. Clifford Leach in B-17 serial number 43-38245. Involved in a mid-air collision with B-17 serial number 44-6460 flown by Lt. William Wilder while...

  • Donald Rusch

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
    Flew on Ice Cold Katy

Aircraft

  • 42-37824

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 11/9/43; Assigned 447BG Rattlesden 21/10/43; Missing in Action Oschersleben 11/1/44 with Dick Fouts, Co-pilot: Dan Lionadakis, Navigator: Elbridge Park, Bombardier: Jim Kidd, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Wilmurth, Radio...

Locations

  • Rattlesden

    Military site : airfield
    Built for the Eighth Air Force in 1942, Rattlesden had three concrete runways, 50 hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. Intended to be a twin-engine B-26 bomber base, it was originally a satellite for nearby Rougham, and first occupied from...

  • Rattlesden Memorial

    Other location

  • St Nicholas, Rattlesden

    Other location

  • Rattlesden Gliding Club

    Other location

Edit entry 

Collection name
Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H)
Object number
UPL 43854

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
19 October 2020 20:00:57 pamccolgan Changes to caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations and aircraft associations
Sources

447th Bomber Group history
Date Contributor Update
04 June 2020 21:45:49 timothymotz Created entry with collection, unit associations and place associations
Sources

Timothy Motz, from Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/41056

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