Irwin Russel Efird

Military

Assigned to 368BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. 5 x combat missions. Shot down 21-May-43 in B-17 42-29806. A/C ditched into North Sea, Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 16018



From a letter he wrote to his parents in 1943:



''We were shot down over the North Sea and had to ditch the plane which broke up on impact. Luckily I managed to get the one good dingy and picked up four of the crew members, I was the only uninjured one. Lt. Fields and Lt. Clausen were drowned - I'm afraid. I know this is horrible, but I must tell you then perhaps I can forget it. Later we were fortunate enough to be picked up by a German flying boat, and I am now a prisoner of war in Germany.''



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.



At Fresno State University he was a football player. After the war he farmed in Fresno California where he died July 18th 2001.

Connections

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

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 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-433367
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Lemoore, CA 20 December 1920 Son of T C Efird.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 21 May 1943 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III.

Other

Ditched POW

North Sea 21 May 1943 Ditched into North Sea, picked up by enemy vessel. POW

Died

18 July 2001

Buried

Belmont Memorial Park Fresno, Fresno County, CA 21 July 2001 Belmont Memorial Park Fresno, Fresno County, California

Based

Thurleigh 21 May 1943 Assigned to 368BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

306th Echoes Oct 2001

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; MACR 16018, First Over Germany pg. 119 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 16018 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database