James L Pennington

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

1-May-42 Assigned as the Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F #41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar" at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 25-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "S-for-Sugar".



Shot down 4 February 1943 in B-17F #41-24569 'Memphis Tot' 303BG/427BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner. The mission target was Osnabruck, Germany, but crew reported guns didn't work so crew turned back. Fighters attacked and Cpt Cole crash landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. The copilot had been killed earlier. Plane broke in two in contact with the water. Pennington was lost in the a/c ditching.



Participated in 8 Operations (2 aborted) See Biography events.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Lloyd Robert Cole

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-421603
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down near Zwolle. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124569. Memphis Tot. SD. 4/2/43. 427BS. Near Zwolle.'

41-24569

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Memphis Tot
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

41-24584

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Susfu
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Lieutenant Fort W. Lipe of the 303rd Bomb Group, signals 'V for Victory' from the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-T, serial number 41-24610 ) nicknamed "Joe Btfsplk II". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Fort W. Lipe, of the Air Corps, of Irving, Illinois was with the Owens-Illinois Glass Co. He is 23 and is engaged to Miss Edith Kesinger, of 314 North-St., Normal, Illinois. His greeting is silent, optimistic and emphatic. As O.P.S. he sends it in the V sign.' On

41-24610

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Joe Btfsplk II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Captain Albert W. Dieffenback, a bombardier of the 303rd Bomb Group, admires Bugs Bunny painted onto the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 9 May 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '14. Captain Albert W. Dieffenbach, of Garrett Park, Md., and the bomber in which he flies as group bombardier.' On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamp].

41-24619

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: S For Sugar
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 1942 Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 25 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Ball Turret Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24584, 303BG/427BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS

23 January 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK

Other

Mission #7, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24610, 303BG/427BS

Hamm, Germany 2 February 1943 Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24610 "JoeBTFSPLK", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but the entire mission was aborted per orders from Bomb Wing.

Other

Mission #8, SGT James L. Pennington, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS KIA

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany. Aircraft was shot down by fighters. SGT Pennington was lost in the Waddenzee when that aircraft crashed in the water. KIA.

Born

Drew City, Mississippi

Buried

Buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot I, Row 9, Grave 9

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Waddenzee 4 February 1943 Killed when aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the Waddenzee, Holland.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Lloyd R. Cole, the pilot of A/C 41-24569.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf and Burial location per Amercian Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) records.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Feb-2016. Made connection to 41-24610 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Glenn E. Hagenbuch crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hagenbuch.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Glenn E. Hagenbuch crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hagenbuch.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Jan-2016. Added initial assignment and operations participations to Summary Biography; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Glenn E. Hagenbuch crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hagenbuch.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decorations and Burial event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Verified SN an KIA event per MACR 15348; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position to Biography.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

303rd BG/ 427th BS Molesworth 107 MACR 15348, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 73, ABMC web site , 303rd web site mission report / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15348 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database