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Leland Otis Baker

Military

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Assigned to 339BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin in B-17 42-102482. Shot down, crashed west of Wolfenbuettal, Germany. 8-May-44 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4575

Awards: PH.

Service

People

  • Leroy Chamberlain

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42102482. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Charles Chase

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42-102482, Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Harold Eye

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 96th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 339BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin in B-17 42-102482. Shot down, crashed west of Wolfenbuettal, Germany. 8-May-44 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4575 Awards: PH.

  • William Latta

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 339BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin in B-17 42-102482. Shot down, crashed west of Wolfenbuettal, Germany. 8-May-44 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4575 Awards: PH.

  • Joseph McElroy

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42102482. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Jack McIlraith

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Jack McIlraith served as a waist gunner with the 339th Bomb Squadron of the 96th Bomb Group. Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42102482. Prisoner of War (POW) at Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12. Flew on Harold Eye crew.

  • W Parnell

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42-102482, Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • William Pierson

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42102482. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Carl Thinnes

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 8 May 1944 in B-17 #42-102482, Prisoner of War (POW). POW

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Units served with

  • 8th Air Force

    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. ...

  • 96th Bomb Group

    96th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. ...

  • 339th Bomb Squadron

    339th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-102482

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 7/3/44; Gr Island 29/3/44; Dow Fd 7/4/44; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-A] Snetterton 8/4/44; Missing in Action Berlin 8/5/44 with Harry Eye, Co-pilot: Leland Baker, Ball turret gunner: Bill Latta[died of wounds in hospital] (3 Killed in...

Associated Place

  • Snetterton Heath

    Military site : airfield
    Intended to be an RAF bomber base, construction of Snetterton Heath started in Autumn 1942 but continued until mid-1943, because it was extended after allocation as an Eighth Air Force bomber base. It had eventually three concrete runways, 50...

  • Netherlands American Cemetery

    Cemetery

Events

Event Location Date
Born Forgan, OK 73938, USA 4 January 1920

Son of George and Alta
Baker.
Lived in Los Angeles, California, USA 1941
Enlisted Los Angeles, CA, USA 7 July 1942

Los Angeles California
Based Snetterton Heath 1944 – 8 May 1944

Assigned to 339BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF.
Died Wolfenbüttel, Germany 8 May 1944

Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin in B-17 42-102482. Shot down, crashed west of Wolfenbuettal, Germany. 8-May-44 KIA. MACR 4575
Buried Wolfenbüttel, Germany 9 May 1944

Interred
Wolfenbuttel cemetery
Buried 1946

Re-Interred
Netherlands American Cemetery
Nationality
American
Nickname
Not yet known
Service numbers
19100019 / O-758285
Highest rank
Second Lieutenant
Role/job
Co-Pilot
Awards
  • Purple Heart

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
23 June 2020 21:32:54 mmc14 Changes to person associations
Sources

added connections to fellow crew members
Date Contributor Update
28 August 2018 21:00:39 Al_Skiff Changes to middlename, service number, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/311039307?terms=Leland%20o%20Baker
https://www.fold3.com/record/84993016-leland-o-baker
https://www.fold3.com/image/29031482
https://www.fold3.com/image/165686884?terms=Leland%20Baker
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:18:25 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4575 / MACR 4575; Snetterton Falcons, pg 134 & 145-146 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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