Whitney Millard Bray
Military
Note : Lt Thornton was shot down with his crew on the following day’s mission to Knaben, Norway on board B-17 “Flagship” # 42-29996 - Lt Thornton is standing, 5th from left top row and the only other identifiable man is Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Otto F. Trammer, 2nd from left top row.
The others are most probably Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Whitney M. Bray; Navigator 2nd Lt David C. Besbris; Bombardier 2nd Lt Arthur A. Carmell; Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt John Geegee; Radio Operator T/Sgt Laurence E. Dennis; Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Dean M. Sommers; Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles H. Hartnett; Tail Gunner S/Sgt Rolland A. Galloway.
Four others are members of the ground crew. S/Sgt Dean Sommers 1st from left top row. T/Sgt Laurence Dennis 1st on right, top row
JWDennis
Object Number - UPL 24732 - Caption : “Lt. Thornton and crew of the 92nd Bomb Group beside a Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress”. England, 15 November 1943.” (Official USAAF...
Whitney Bray enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in Canada before the United States' entry into the conflict. He trained as a Pilot at No.4 Service Flying Training School in Saskatoon, Canada before being sent to England. After a number of operations, he was transferred to the USAAF and assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group/407th Bomb Squadron. He was Co-Pilot of B-17 # 42-29996 "Flagship" when it was shot down on the 16 November 1943 mission to Knaben, Norway. Captured by the Germans, he was a Prisoner of War (POW) and was liberated at Stalag Luft 1 after 18 months in captivity.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11998665 /O-674111
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11021187 and O-668893
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36048962
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39099087
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33235534
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flag ship
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 16 November 1943
![A bomber crew of the 92nd Bomb Group return to Podington following a mission flying B-17 Flying Fortresses to Wittenberg. A B-17 Flying Fortress (NV-K, serial number 42-29994) is visible in the background. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 23 Feb 1945' [stamp]. ' News Chronicle Copyright Picture' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'Crew back from Wittenberg.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379172.jpg.webp?itok=G7D0FciD)
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Illinois, United States | 24 July 1920 | the son of Harry M. and Freda Rhue (Rhea) Bray |
|
Other captured |
near Konsmo, Norway | 16 November 1943 | Captured near Konsmo after B-17 #42-29996 was shot down on the mission to Knaben, Norway on 16 November 1943. |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Barth, Germany | 16 November 1943 | Interned at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany. NARA WWII POW records "returned to Military control 8 June 1945". |
|
Died |
Stockton, California, United States | 1 July 2012 | |
| Chicago, Illinois, United States | |||
|
Enlisted |
Enlisted in the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) | ||
|
Other Transferred to the USAAF |
joined the 92nd BG/407th BS | ||
|
Buried |
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California, United States |
Revisions
MACR 1384
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
VA Gravesite locator
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1384 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database