Richard Bailey
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major
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Ralph Higgins
Military
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A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bailey Crew.' Richard H. Bailey Crew 388th BG - 561st BS Standing Left to Right: George Bartuska (B), Richard H. Bailey (P), William L. Tobin (CP), Laurence M. Bairstow (N) Kneeling Left to Right: Ned Transou (R/O), John J. Thompson (FE), Donald E. Marble (WG), Ralph Higgins (TG), Edward L. Gwinnell (WG), Roy L. Graziani (BTG)
DFC/ PH/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster
Service
People
Units served with
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388th Bomb Group
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran... -
561st Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-30207 Big Red
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War)... -
42-3291 Miss Mac
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 30/4/43; Dow Fd 13/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 14/6/43; on training mission 12/7/44 with Major Boardman Reed, Co-pilot: Major Melvin Buckner, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Paul Weathers, Radio Operator: Ora Kelsey, pass... -
42-3548 Little Willie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 28/7/43; Scott 9/8/43; Assigned 563BS/385BG [ -X] Gt Ashfield 25/8/43; Missing in Action Brunswick 23/3/44 with Dick Davis, Navigator: Leroy Coy (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: John Cooper, Bombardier: Ed Barwikowski, Flight engineer...
Associated Place
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Knettishall
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Jackson, Kentucky | 26 March 1919 |
| Enlisted | Cincinnati, OH, USA | 13 July 1942 |
| 388th BG Combat Tour | Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK | 17 July 1943 – 20 February 1944 |
| Died | Dayton, OH, USA | 7 October 2002 |
| Buried | Middletown, OH, USA | 10 October 2002 |
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Woodside Cemetery • Middletown, Butler County, Ohio, USA |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 11 December 2017 21:10:33 | 466thHistorian | Changes to highest rank, awards, events, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-HIG01-... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:21:43 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self |
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