Frank Robert Spitznagel Jr

Military
media-23260.jpeg UPL 23260 Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel Jr.
305th Bomb Group, 364th Squadron. Chelveston, England 1943

Doug Spitznagel

Object Number - UPL 23260 - Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel Jr. 305th Bomb Group, 364th Squadron. Chelveston, England 1943

Born November 5, 1919 in Buffalo, NY.

Attended Columbus Flying School, Columbus, Mississippi, class 42-G. Additional flight training Boise, ID; Alamagordo, NM; Topkea, KS.



Assigned B-17E named "Boo" and flew Southern Route to European Theater (first assigned to North Africa, then ordered to England) January 13 – February 7, 1943.



Arrived Chelveston, England (AF#105) and attached to 364th Squadron of 305th Bomb Group. Completed tour of 26 missions. Led the wing during Bomber Command Missions #65 (Huls, Germany); #69 (St. Nazaire, France); #70 (Paris, France). Also led Groups on several missions and was Deputy Group Leader on Mission #84, aka "1st Schweinfurt", August 17, 1943. Returned to the United States on Nov. 14, 1943 (Northern Route).



While stationed at Langley, VA he trained many B-17 crews from 1943 thru 1945.

He left the service in December, 1945 with the rank of Major.



Married Ruth Elizabeth Schaaf on February 3, 1945. Had three children, (Pamela 1946; Frank Robert III 1949; Douglas 1953) 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.



Deceased December 1, 2008. Final Resting Place: Rosecrans National Cemetery, Pt. Loma, CA

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

A bomber crew of the 305th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" that belly landed on the runway. From left to right they are: First Lieutenant Karl H. Brauer, Navigator, from Indianapolis; Major J. Lawrence Smith co-pilot, from Carpinteria, California; Second Lieutenant Magnus G. Bolken, Operations Officer, from Arnegard, North Dakota; First Lieutenant Robert D. Metcalf, Bombardier, from Sacramento, California; Staff Sergeant John F. Hill, Asst radio operator, from Valhalla, New
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
A bomber crew of the 305th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lallah-V" that belly landed on the runway. From left to right they are: First Lieutenant Karl H. Brauer, Navigator, from Indianapolis; Major J. Lawrence Smith co-pilot, from Carpinteria, California; Second Lieutenant Magnus G. Bolken, Operations Officer, from Arnegard, North Dakota; First Lieutenant Robert D. Metcalf, Bombardier, from Sacramento, California; Staff Sergeant John F. Hill, Asst radio operator, from Valhalla, New
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: SpitzFire
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 379th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron 526th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Buffalo, NY, USA 5 November 1919

Enlisted

Buffalo, New York 23 September 1941 "The draft board was breathing down my pretty little neck..."

Revisions

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Douglas Spitznagel 9-4-2020

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DS 6/26/2018

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DS 6-/6/2018

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Douglas Spitznagel

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Douglas Spitznagel

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Edited by Douglas Spitznagel.

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Edited by Douglas Spitznagel (2nd son, b. 1953)

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Edited by Douglas Spitznagel (2nd son, b. 1953)

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Edited by Douglas Spitznagel (2nd son, b. 1953) on 8/28/2016

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Surname spelling corrected; nicknames added by Douglas Spitznagel (2nd son, b.1953)

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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / son, Bob

Frank Robert Spitznagel: Gallery (3 items)