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Benjamin Clarke Jr

Military

  • Lt Crockatt and crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside Boeing B-17

    Lt Crockatt and crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Shangrila Lil'. England, 12 Aug. 1943. Rear L-R: 2Lt William Cramsie, 2Lt George Crockatt, 2Lt Israel Millner, 2Lt Meran Barsam. Front L-R: S/Sgt Benjamin Clarke, S/Sgt Eugene Williams, S/Sgt James Burke, T/Sgt Allen Jaynes, Sgt Eddie Homer, T/Sgt Morris Tepper.

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Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 27-Aug-43 in B-17 #42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'. Prisoner of War (POW).

Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

See more at: http://www.303rdbg.com/360crockett.html

Service

People

  • George Crockett

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
    Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 6 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Watten in B-17 #42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'. Flak hit in bomb bay, exploded and crashed at St Omer, near Merville, France. 27-Aug-43 POW MACR 405. ...

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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. ...

  • 303rd Bomb Group

    303rd Bomb Group

    Group
    The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...

  • 360th Bomb Squadron

    360th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 87

    27 August 1943
    This mission is the first attack by the USAAF on suspected V-Weapon sites. The German development of pilotless winged aircraft was first divulged to the British just shortly after the beginning of World War II in two letters sent to the British embassy...

Associated Place

  • Molesworth

    Military site : airfield
    Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...

  • Stalag XVII-B

    Other location

  • Dulag Luft 12

    Other location

Events

Event Location Date
Born Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada 11 November 1919

Son of Benjamin Clarke Sr.
Lived in Dearborn, MI July 1941

At time of draft registration.
Based Molesworth 1943 – 27 August 1943

Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF.
Prisoner of War (POW) Krems an der Donau, Austria 27 August 1943 – May 1945

Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag XVIIb.
Shot down Saint-Omer, France 27 August 1943

Shot down 27-Aug-43 in B-17 42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'.
POW. MACR 405
Died Dearborn, MI 13 May 2015
Buried Cadillac Memorial Gardens West, Westland, MI

Cadillac Memorial Gardens West
Westland, Wayne County, Michigan
Nationality
American
Nickname
Not yet known
Service numbers
36508282
Highest rank
Staff Sergeant
Role/job
Ball Turret Gunner / Right Waist Gunner
Awards
  • European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
  • Prisoner of War Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
28 March 2020 18:12:07 jmoore43 Changes to biography
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Date Contributor Update
11 March 2020 12:32:00 Al_Skiff Changes to biography, events, place associations and mission associations
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/38296716
https://www.fold3.com/image/659940900
https://www.fold3.com/image/659940901
https://archive.org/details/ClarkJr.Benjamin-veteransHistoryProject
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161971932/benjamin-clarke
Date Contributor Update
21 February 2020 02:02:10 jmoore43 Changes to biography
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Date Contributor Update
04 February 2018 11:42:09 Al_Skiff Changes to awards, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

Key Image ID.
Date Contributor Update
01 April 2015 12:26:53 general ira snapsorter Changes to surname, middlename, suffix, service number, role, biography, events and unit associations
Sources

Merged information from duplicate entry to include details drawn drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 405

Correction to surname and suffix.
Updates to biography from details at :
http://www.303rdbg.com
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:04:23 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 405 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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