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Military
SSGT Harold A. Brassfield Tail Gunner Lowell Watts Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS KIA 6 March 1944
PG 1 of a letter data 17 February 1944 from SSGT Harold A. Brassfield to his Mom. In it he mentions his schoolmate from home, Beauford R. Smith, who was a Flight Engineer with the 44th BG at Shipdham.
SSGT Harold Adrian Brassfield Tail Gunner Lowell Watts Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS standing next to the tail guns of B-17G-15-DL #42-37886 "Blitzing Betsy"
Telegram received by the parents of SSGT Harold A. Brassfield confirming he had been KIA on 6 March 1944.
Staff Sergeant Harold Adrian Brassfield 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron 8th Air Force
Citation of Honor given to the family of SSGT Harold A. Brassfield who was KIA on 6 March 1944 on the 25th and last mission of his combat tour.
SSGT Harold A. Brassfield's obituary that appeared in the local newspaper after the war when his body had been returned to his family from it's original grave in the Netherlands.
B-17G-15-DL #42-37886 Blitzing Betsy Code: U 388th BG - 562nd BS Harry Allert - Ground Crew Chief Lowell Watts Crew Shot down 6 March 1944
Lowell Watts Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS Standing Left to Right: Lowell Watts (P), Robert M. Kennedy (CP), Emmett Murphy (N), Edward J. Kelley (B) Kneeling Left to Right: Joseph B. Ramsey (FE), Raymond Hess (WG), Ivan Finkle (R/O), Robert Sweeney (BTG), Harold A. Brassfield (TG), Donald W. Taylor (WG)
Pg 2 of a letter dated 17 February 1944 from SSGT Harold A. Brassfield to his Mom. Harold A. Brassfield (Ad or Adrian to his friends and family) was a tail gunner with the 388th BG - 562nd BS. He would be Killed In Action in less than three weeks, on 6 March 1944.
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzing' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
Ivan Finkle served as a radio operator with the 388th Bomb Group. He completed 21 missions. On 6 March 1944, his 22nd mission, his aircraft 'Blitzing Betsy' was shot down by German fighters returning from first mass daylight raid on Berlin over Holland...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzin' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen,...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzin' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen,...
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Left Waist Gunner, Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzing Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen,...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzin' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen,...
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Gore Fd 27/4/43; Cheyenne 2/5/43; Sioux City 13/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 23/6/43 as CHARLENE; 15m transferred RCM 803BS Sculthorpe 19/1/44; Oulton 16/5/44; 36BS Cheddington...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 7/8/43; Dalhart 17/8/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG [H] Knettishall 8/9/43; on assembly for Schweinfurt 19/7/44 with Walt Malaniak, Co-pilot: Aaron Brinkoeter, Navigator: Leo Ramos, Bombardier: Amos Force, Flight engineer/top turret gunner...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/9/43; Gr Island 9/10/43; Nashville 12/10/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 14/10/43; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Chas Wallace, Co-pilot: Edwin Gilroy, Navigator: Dick Kohn, Bombardier: Marvin Horn, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 2/10/43; Gr Island 21/10/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 25/10/43; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Lowell Watts captured by civilians, Co-pilot: Bob Kennedy, Navigator: Emmett Murphy, Bombardier: Ed Kelley, Flight engineer...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 23/9/43; Gr Island 6/10/43; Presque Is 14/10/43; Assigned 563BS/388BG [ –P] Knettishall 14/10/43; Missing in Action Merseburg 29/7/44 with Russell Boyce, Bombardier: Jack Graves, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Calvin Leitz,...
30 November 1943
This mission is directed at a single target - the industrial areas of Solingen, Germany. The mission consists of three elements. The first element is a force of 221 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (24); 92BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (16...
11 December 1943
This mission is a massive raid of 583 heavy bombers on the industrial areas of Emden, Germany. The first element is a combined force of 242 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (24); 92BG (18); 303BG (20); 305BG (21); 306BG (20); 351BG (40)...
13 December 1943
The port areas at Bremen and Kiel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. This is the first mission where more than 600 aircraft are despatched. This mission is comprised of 8 elements. The first element consists 182 B-17s from: 91BG (31);...
16 December 1943
This is a massive mission of 631 heavy bombers directed at the port area of Bremen, Germany. The force of 631 included 1 PFF-equipped B-17s from 482BG dispersed among the attacking formations. The mission is composed of three elements. The first...
4 January 1944
The port area of Kiel, Germany and the railroad marshalling yards at Munster, Germany are the Primary targets of this Mission which is organised as two elements: one going to Kiel and the other to Munster. Roger A. Freeman begins to designate aircraft...
11 January 1944
Three aviation industry targets in Germany are bombed. The bomber force consists of 291 B-17s despatched from 1st Bomb Division in two elements, one element of 177 B-17s is despatched to Oschersleben, Germany as the primary target, the other 1BD...
14 January 1944
This mission is a combined effort of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bomb Divisions to attack V-Weapon sites near the French coast near Pas-de-Calaise. Some targets of opportunity were also bombed. A total of 20 out of 21 V-Weapon sites are hit with varying results.
...
24 January 1944
The primary target of this mission was the Zukunft power station at Eschweilier, Germany. The mision was composed of 563 bombers three elements from 1BD, 2BD and 3BD. The despatch from 2BD was recalled doe to weather before it could take off. Mission...
25 January 1944
5 B-17s from 305BG/422BS are despatched on a night operation to drop 1,200,000 leaflets on the French cities of Caen, Reims, Chartres, Chateauroux and Brest. There are no losses or claims.
29 January 1944
The primary target for this mission was the railroad marshalling yards and industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany. A combined force of 863 heavy bombers were despatched in three elements to make the attack. The combined bomber gunner claims on enemy...
Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Gatliff, Kentucky 40769, USA | 1 June 1923 |
| Lived in | Insull, Kentucky 40856, USA | 1941 |
| Enlisted | Indianapolis, IN, USA | 10 December 1942 |
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Fort Benjamin Harrison |
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| Killed in Action (KIA) | Klazienaveen, The Netherlands | 6 March 1944 |
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S/Sgt. Brassfield was shot down returning from Berlin on his 25th and final mission of his tour, 6 March 1944. His group missed it's P-47 escort due to a delay over the target. They were hit by several FW-190's of JG11 over the German/Dutch border. Several B-17's of the 388th BG were lost at this time including S/Sgt. Brassfield's B-17G-15-DL #42-37886 "Blitzing Betsy" of the 562nd BS flown by Lt. Lowell Watts. Brassfield and three of his crew mates (Robert Sweeney, Raymond Hess and Donald Taylor) were KIA during this action. Taylor had gone to help Brassfield after the latter had report being injured in the head and unable to see shortly after reporting he had shot down one of the attackers. Sweeney never made it out of the Ball Turret. Hess was blown clear of the aircraft when it exploded and was found without his parachute opened. Watts, Finkle and Ramsey were blown clear of the aircraft when it exploded and were able to open their parachutes. Kennedy, Kelley and Murphy had been able to bail out prior to the aircraft exploding and reached the ground safely. |
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| Buried | Nieuw Dordrecht, Netherlands | 20 March 1944 |
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Nieuw Dordrecht Cemetery |
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| Buried | Williamsburg, KY | 1948 |
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Highland Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 06 November 2020 00:52:35 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 March 2019 00:11:54 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
corrected biography - Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 January 2016 01:48:54 | 466thHistorian | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 January 2016 01:46:30 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 July 2015 17:19:55 | 466thHistorian | Changes to highest rank and events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 April 2015 01:34:25 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 March 2015 02:03:20 | 466thHistorian | Changes to awards and events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 January 2015 02:17:36 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 January 2015 01:32:44 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 November 2014 05:08:31 | 466thHistorian | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 October 2014 14:38:33 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 October 2014 22:21:35 | 466thHistorian | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 October 2014 21:31:26 | 466thHistorian | Changes to service number |
| Sources | ||
Brassfield Family Arcives |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 October 2014 21:25:08 | 466thHistorian | Changes to middlename, nickname, biography, awards, events, person associations, place associations and mission associations |
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Chris Brassfield - from research, family letters and talks with surviving crew members. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:11:56 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3089 / MACR 3089, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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