Ewell R McCright

Military

23-Aug-42 Asssigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24612 (GN-R), "The Devil Himself",303BG/427BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. 26-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "The Devil Himself".



On 23 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS while serving as Bombardier the aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above while on a mission to bomb the port area of Lorient, France. The aircraft crashed in the woods of Bois-de-Queronic near Pluvinger, France. 2Lt McCright was able to bale out of the stricken aircraft an was captured. Prisoner of War (POW). While a prisoner he secretly kept ledgers on all the other prisoners.



Participated in 4 Operations (2 were aborted) See Biography events.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24559) nicknamed "Old Soljer" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed as censored 25 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 "Old Soljer". 25 Jan 1943.' Printed caption attached: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Side view of Fortress. This one's been named "Old Soljer" by her crew, who have painted the name on the side of the fuselage, as shown here. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, As

41-24559

  • 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

41-24567

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Beats Me
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

41-24587

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Bad Check
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'.

41-24607

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jerry Jinx : What's Up Doc
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA 23 August 1942 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24612 "The Devil Himself", 303BG/427BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas

Other

Arrival in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 26 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Bombarider of B-17F 41-24612 "The Devil Himself", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1 2LT Ewell R. McCright, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2 2LT Ewell R. McCright, w/B-17F 41-24587, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24587 "Bad Check", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3 2LT Ewell R. McCright, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Bombardier on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Moosburg, Germany 23 January 1943 - 12 June 1945 Held at Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria. Last report date (Discharged in US) 12-Jun-45.

Other

Mission #4 2LT Ewell R. McCright, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - POW

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Bombardier on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. The aircraft was struck by a bomb from above. He was able to blas out of the aircraft and was captured as a Prisoner of War. POW.

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added Arrival in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-FEb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; MAde connections to Aircraft and all Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Combined two entries into a single entry. This record includes information from the following source: MACR 15571 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added Map location to POW event.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; added SN per MACR 15571; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Edited Biography with target and loss details per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15571, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey Vol. 1 p. 65