Joseph Cuderly Wilkins
MilitaryShot down 8 March 1943 in B-17F #41-24514, 306BG/368BS while serving as Bombardier. Aircraft was attacked by a FW-190 after Spitfire escort left while on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rennes, France. Aircraft was at the tail end of the low squadron. Only the pilot was lost. Other crew became Prisoner of War (POW)s.
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: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-789754
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-062106
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-789381
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15069779
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37059997
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 8 March 1943
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 8 March 1943 - 3 July 1945 | Held at Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia (now Poland) moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser. Officially Returned to Military Conto; (RMC) 3-Jul-45. |
|
Born |
Washington, District of Columbia, USA |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; Made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Edited Summary Biography with A/C model letter and unit association; added target information per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE and MACR 6088.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6088 / MACR 6088, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 89, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp.76-78 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database