Earl Benson

Military

306th BG/ 367th BS/ Prisoner of War (POW) Thurleigh 111Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 100, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp 82. NARA Shot down 5 April 1943 in B-17 #4229660. Pilot Ross was wounded in the head and shoulder from . 50 caliber ammunition. He gave the bale out order near Erla Works at Antwerp after losing an engine and flight controls and with damage to the left wing. The plane crashed 12 miles north of Antwerp. Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag 3 moved to 49-11 Nuremberg.



POW

Earl's second wife Elaine wrote up the story of his two year stint in a POW camp in 'Out of the Turret and Into Hell' 2001. Earl spent a further 20 years in the Air Force.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

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

People

Francis Douglas Bowles

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11036064
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Connecticut

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

306th Echoes Jan 2003

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 100, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp 82.NARA / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia