Lowell Hoyt Watts
Military388th 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)
466th BG Historian
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, Holland. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35447653
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15382852
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13084696
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O 734468
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O 748677
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Charlene
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron 562nd Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Quarterback
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Boy Blue
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: A Good And Happy Ship
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Blitzing Betsy
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 6 March 1944
- Date: 4 March 1944
- Date: 2 March 1944
- Date: 29 February 1944
- Date: 25 February 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA | 4 February 1920 | |
Other Shot Down |
Klazienaveen, Netherlands | 6 March 1944 | Shot down by attacks from multiple FW 190's that wounded the tail gunner, several damaged the tail and set the oxygen bottles and fuel tanks on fire. The aircraft exploded with Watts still at the controls in a caldron of fire in the cockpit, blowing him clear. He was fortunately wearing his parachute and was able to pull the rip cord. |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 15 March 1944 | Stalag Luft III |
Died |
Sun City West, AZ | 7 January 2021 | |
Sun City West, AZ, USA |
Revisions
http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-WAT04…
Phone interview with Lowell Watts - November 2017
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