Reinaldo Jose Saiz
Military
Standing left to right: Lieutenant Hershell R De Wall (pilot), Captain Reinaldo Jose Saiz (bombardier), Lieutenant Darius Raymond Davis (navigator), Major Walter K Shayler (copilot) and Lieutenant Willard H. Bergeron (pilot).
Kneeling left to right: Staff Sergeant George W Wilson (waist gunner), Tech Sergeant LeRoy Cline (radio operator), Staff Sergeant Vernon R Appleton (tail gunner), Staff Sergeant Norman A Hemmings (ball turret gunner), Tech Sergeant Alphonse B Serwa (flight engineer) and Staff Sergeant Simeon Oxendine (waist gunner).
US Official photograph shared across from Fold3: https://www.fold3.com/image/161242199
Object Number - UPL 29668 - Lead crew on bombing mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, beside B-17 'Satan's Workshop!', England, 30 December 1943. Standing left to right:...
10-Jul-42 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F #41-24567 [PU-J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Amaogordo, New Mexico, with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 16-Oct-42 Arrived as Molesworth, UK aboard "Beats Me". Flew 26 Missions and completed his combat tour on 31-Dec-43 with the rank of Captain.
Mission Participations (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
![Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378931.jpg.webp?itok=VX83NyM9)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Beats Me
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Yardbird II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 13 March 1943
- Date: 12 March 1943
- Date: 4 March 1943
- Date: 27 February 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Segundo, Colorado | 11 June 1920 | |
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA | 10 July 1942 | Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamgordo, New Mexico. |
|
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 16 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Bombardier aboard B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS. |
|
Other Mission #1, 2LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 22 November 1942 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, 2LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Promoted in Rank |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 15 December 1942 | Promoted in Rank to 1st Lieutanant. |
|
Other Mission #3, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #4, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #5, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #6, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 27 January 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #7, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #8, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #9, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to reacll the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #10, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #11, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. TYB OK. |
|
Other Mission #12, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Brest, France | 27 February 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #13, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 4 March 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #14, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 12 March 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #15, 1LT Reinaldo J. Saiz, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Amiens, France | 13 March 1943 | Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Ameins, France. RTB OK. |
|
Died |
22 January 1994 | ||
|
Buried |
Mitylenel Cemetery Montgomery, Alabama |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 6-Mar-2016. Added Promoted in Rank event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 6-Mar-2016. Added Mission #15 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Lee Cunningham 6-Mar-2016. Added Mission #14 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-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
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Made connections to Missions of 27-Jan-43, 2-Feb-43, 4-Feb-43, 14-Feb-43, 16-Feb-43, 26-Feb-43, 27-Feb-43 and 4-Mar-43 per 303BG records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Lee Cunningham 16-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place, Aircraft (through 23-Jan-43) and Missions (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / daughter / http://303rdbg.com/rost-rs.html#R">http://303rdbg.com/rost-rs.html#R>
