Tom McGiffin
MilitaryRear L-R: 1Lt Reinaldo J Saiz, 1Lt Samuel H Anderson, Capt Lewis E Lyle, Lt Col George L. Robinson, 1Lt Otis Allen Hoyt.
Front L-R: Sgt Tom McGiffin, T/Sgt Gene K. Smith, T/Sgt Woodrow W Smith, T/Sgt Clayton S. Balcombe, T/Sgt Martin A. Semonick, S/Sgt Edward A. Bradford.
6-Dec-42 First mission as Tail Gunner of B-17 #41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France.
31-Mar-43 Despatched as Right Waist Gunner of B-17F #41-24599 "Ooold Soljer" on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts" 303BG/358BS. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes crashed at Mears Ashby and 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there. He was able to bail out of the damaged aircraft before it crashed and was badly shaken up but not injured and Returned to Duty.
4-Apr-43 He was removed from flying status following the completion of this mission. He was probably suffering from what years later would be called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and would have endangered the welfare of his crew had he kept flying.
Participated in 17 Operations (4 were aborted) See Biography events.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-791048
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Thumper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Big Time Operator II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 532nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 April 1943
- Date: 31 March 1943
- Date: 28 March 1943
- Date: 22 March 1943
- Date: 13 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Stockett, MT | 12 September 1912 | Son of Abner and Alice C [Anderson] McGiffin. |
Enlisted |
Missoula, MT | 18 March 1942 | Missoula, Montana |
Other Mission #1, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #2, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24579, 303BG/360BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 3 January 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #3, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #4, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #5, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. |
Other Mission #6, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortis. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #7, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #8, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, Fracne, but mechanical failures forced the pilto to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #9, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Brest, France | 27 February 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Baot pens at Brest, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #10, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 4 March 1943 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #11, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 6 March 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #12, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 12 March 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #13, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Amiens, France | 13 March 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. RTB OK |
Other Mission #14, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 22 March 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #15, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
Other Promoted in Rank |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 30 March 1943 | Promoted to the Rank of Staf Sergeant. |
Other Mission #16, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-1741-24559, 303BG/360BS - RTD |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collisio with another B-17 from 358BS. He was able to bale out of the damaged aircraft before it crashed. He was badly shaken up but not injured. RTD |
Other Mission #16, SGT Tom McGiffin, w/B-17 42-29570, 303BG/360BS |
Paris, France | 4 April 1943 | Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-29570 "Big Time Operator II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Renault Motor Works in the Billancourt District of Paris, France. RTB OK. |
Other Removed from Flying Status |
5 April 1943 | Removed from flying status (probably PTSD) served the rest of the war on ground duties with the 303BG. | |
Died |
Great Falls, MT | 18 October 2007 | |
Buried |
Highland Cemetery, Great Falls, Cascade County, MT | 21 October 2007 | Highland Cemetery Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Removed from Flying Status event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Keith O. Bartlett crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360bartlett.html
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Promotion in Rank event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #17 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Apr-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/028.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #16 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #15 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #14 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/020.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gray Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 7-Mar-2016. Added NEW person entry with all particulars per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Keith O. Bartlett, crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360bartlett.html