Rudolph A Thigpen

Military
media-29606.jpeg UPL 29606 Lt. William Burtt And Crew Of The 322nd Bomb Sq., 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, In Front Of A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Man O War, Ii, Horsepower Ltd". England, 10 February 1944. - 1LT William S. Burtt & crew, 322nd Bomb Sq, 91st BG with B-17G 42-38083 "Man-O-War II - Horsepower LTD" (coded LG-V), 10 February 1944. The ship replaced their earlier "Man-O-War - Horsepower LTD" (serial 42-37987) in which they'd managed to complete one mission - barely. On the 29 January sortie to Frankfurt they were badly shot up by enemy fighters. Limping back across the Channel, a third engine failed just as they crossed the English coast; they promptly crash-landed.
BACK ROW - LEFT TO RIGHT:
Sgt. Harold H. Jones, Radio Operator (Mont Alto, Pennsylvania); S/Sgt. Vern P. Woodward, Top Turret Gunner (Greenwich, New York); Sgt. Weiss, Waist Gunner (Michigan); Sgt. Jack Webb, Waist Gunner (Illinois); Sgt. John J. (Moose) Wheeler, Tail Gunner (Buffalo, New York); Sgt. Rudolph (Rudy) Thigpen, Ball Turret Gunner (Shreveport, Louisiana); Unknown
FRONT ROW - LEFT TO RIGHT:
2nd Lt. R.L. West, Navigator (Cincinnati, Ohio); 1st Lt. William S. Burtt, Pilot (Grand Rapids, Michigan); 1st Lt. Frank Alford, Co-Pilot (Texas)

Object Number - UPL 29606 - Lt. William Burtt And Crew Of The 322nd Bomb Sq., 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, In Front Of A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Man O War, Ii,...

Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. RTD. Damaged by fighters on mission to Frankfurt on 29 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-37987 'Man O War - Horsepower Ltd' managed to return to England on two engines and crashed near Sittingbourne, Kent when the third engine went out.

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32392925
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19092104 and O-734080
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18103410 and O-738586
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14095170 and O-674256
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Destiny's Tot
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Man O’ War - Horsepower Ltd.
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Revisions

Date
ContributorV York
Changes
Sources

Airman's diary

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, 8th AF Losses

Rudolph A Thigpen: Gallery (5 items)