Clyde W Cosper

Military
media-36821.jpeg UPL 36821 F/O Clyde W Cosper

Object Number - UPL 36821 - F/O Clyde W Cosper

Reported to group on 11 Sept 1943. Assigned to 367BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. Completed 7 missions from 08 Oct to 05 Nov 1943. On takeoff from base on mission to Bremen on 13 Nov 1943, mission was recalled due to weather. B-17 42-31038 was hit with severe turbulence in a thunderhead, going into a spin and losing several thousand feet in altitude. Lt. Cosper recovered control and ordered the crew to bale out. He landed in a field at Longwick. The A/C immediately caught fire, exploded fatally. For his actions, he was awarded the Silver Star. Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: SS, AM, PH.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-685364
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20537909 / O-742948
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-679334
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Texas 1 May 1922 Jacob Thomas and Miriam [Moss] Cosper.

Enlisted

Dallas, TX 16 October 1939

Other

Pilot training

Blackland AAF, Waco, TX 16 February 1943 Graduated Pilot Class 43B; Awarded wings as F/O; Blackland AAF, Waco 16-Feb-43.

Based

Thurleigh 11 September 1943 - 13 November 1943 Assigned to 367BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF.

Died

Longwick, UK 13 November 1943 Force landing of B-17 42-31038; Killed in subsequent fire / explosion. Killed in Action (KIA).

Buried

14 November 1943 Interred Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

Buried

Dodd City Cemetery, TX Re-Interred Dodd City Cemetery Dodd City, TX

Other

Pilot training

Curtis Field, Brady, TX Primary Flight training - Class 43A Curtis Field, Brady, TX

Other

Memorialised

Princes Risborough, UK Princes Risborough Town Centre

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology Supplement p. 205, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I p. 371, First Over Germany pg. 177, 306th BGA Collection, Russell Strong Index Cards, National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…

Clyde W Cosper: Gallery (2 items)