Dale Wilbur Rice
Military
Object Number - UPL 37102 - T/Sgt Dale W Rice of Greenville Center, NY., top turret gunner on a Boeing B-17 based at Molesworth, England, is shown at his position in the plane...
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 26 x combat missions. Ditched in North Sea 6-Sep-43 in B-17 42-3002 'Old Squaw'. Picked up by ASR Returned to duty (RTD). ETD.
Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-?
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Old Squaw
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
![A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Kicking Horse" of the 303rd Bomb Group takes off with a feathered engine. Handwritten caption on reverse: ''Kicking Horse' of 303BG. Received 7/7/1944.' On reverse: Daily Graphic [Stamp, ref. no. M4226L].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407628.jpg.webp?itok=SpfDIv0I)
- Date: 6 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Queens County, NY | 3 December 1920 | Son of Charles Garland Sr and Viola Jennie [Watts] Rice. |
|
Enlisted |
New York City, NY | 20 July 1942 | New York City, New York |
|
Other Ditched RTD |
English Channel | 6 September 1943 | Ditched in North Sea 6-Sep-43 in B-17 42-3002 'Old Squaw'. Picked up by ASR Returned to duty (RTD). |
|
Other Discharged USAAF |
12 July 1945 | Honourable discharge. | |
|
Died |
Rahway, NJ | 3 January 1985 | |
|
Buried |
Hazel Wood Cemetery Colonia, Middlesex County, NJ | 5 January 1985 | Hazel Wood Cemetery Colonia, Middlesex County, New Jersey |
| Greenville Center, NY | |||
|
Based |
Molesworth | Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Updated the Born event per info in the book "Half a Wing, Three Engines And a Prayer" by "Brian D. O’Neill" on pg 3.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Biship & Hey p. 269
