A bomber crew of the 15th Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomb Group with an RAF Douglas Boston of No 226 Squadron, after being awarded medals, 4 July 1942. From left to right, they are Sergeant Bennie B Cunningham, Sergeant Robert L Golay, Second Lieutenant Randall Dorton and Major Charles C Kegelman.
Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 11 Jul 1942.' [stamp], 'Not to be published until 12/7/42.' [stamp], 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'USA (NIR)CCC.' [written annotation] and '209807.' [Censor no.]
Printed caption on reverse: 'Members of the crew of the Boston Bomber, photographed after they they had been decorated, in front of a Boston Bomber. (L to R) Sgt B B Cunningham of Tupelo, Miss; Sgt R L Golay of Fredonia ,Kansas; Second-Lieut M Dorton of Long Beach and Major Charles C Kegelman, U.S. Air Chief decorates first American airmen to operate in Europe. 11.7.42. Major General Spaatz, chief of American Air Forces in this country, today decorated a crew of a Boston bomber which took part in the 4th of July (American independence day) daylight raid on Holland.'
IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
A bomber crew of the 301st Bomb Group with their A-20 Havoc after being awarded medals. From left to right, they are Sergeant B.B. Cunningham of Tupelo, Missouri; Sergeant R.L. Golay of Fredonia, Kansas; Second Lieutenant M. Dorton of Long Beach; and Major Charles C. Kegelman. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 11 Jul 1942.' [stamp], 'Not to be published until 12/7/42.' [stamp], 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'USA (NIR)CCC.' [written annotation] and '209807.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Members of the crew of the Boston Bomber,photographed after they they had been decorated, in front of a Boston Bomber. (L to R) Sgt B B Cunningham of Tupelo, Miss; Sgt R L Golay of Fredonia ,Kansas; Second-Lieut M Dorton of Long Beach and Major Charles C Kegelman, U.S. Air Chief decorates first American airmen to operate in Europe. 11.7.42. Major General Spaatz, chief of American Air Forces in this country, today decorated a crew of a Boston bomber which took part in the 4th of July (American independence day) daylight raid on Holland.'
Connections
Units
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Group
Activated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for...
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Squadron
The 15th Bomb Squadron was the first US bomb unit sent to UK. Flying personnel arrived at Newport without aircraft on 13 May 1942.
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People
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Military | Sergeant | Gunner
Assigned 303BG.
Awards: DFC.
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Military | Lieutenant | Navigator
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight engineer
Assigned to 301BG.
Awards: DFC.
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Military | Major | Pilot
Kegelman received the Distinguished Service Cross for the 8th Air Force's first bombing action over Europe on 4 July 1942. The right propeller of his Douglas Boston was shot away by flak while over the target at De Koog. Further ground fire caused...
Missions
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4 July 1942
Bomber Command War Diaries:
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