Grover R Groff

Military

Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4230081 'USS Aliquippa. ' Prisoner of War (POW) at Stalag 17B. . Earlier on May 7, 1943, took off from Goose Bay in ac YB-40 42-5732 en route to Meeks Field, Iceland but there was a severe storm in that area. Aiming toward an alternate base while dealing with the storm, the plane was running out of fuel. Pilot made a crash landing at Brenish on the Isle of Lewis. All 6 crew were able to return to duty.



POW

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.

92nd Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

German soldiers with a captured B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 230081) nicknamed "USS Aliquippa" of the 92nd Bomb Group that crashed in Holland. 12 August 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '92BG with German guards in Holland- 409 BS.' Handwritten caption on revserse: '12/8/43 B-17 PY-O 230081. SD Holland 1943, 92BG.'

42-30081

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
Second Lt. Donald E Weir - 326th Bomb Squadron Eighth Air Force WWII

42-5732

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The mugger
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Missouri

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Germany 12 August 1943

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 655 / MACR 655, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey pp. 116, 228 , NARA web site. / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database