Edward W Durant

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

26-Jul-42 Assigned as Aerial Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".



11-Nov-42 as a Waist Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 'Garbage', the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with RAF Anson EF939, and made a forced "belly" landing at Luton, UK. There were no injuries but the aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair and eventually salvaged for parts. Poor weather conditions contributed to accident on landing 'Garbage'.



3-Jan-43 Shot down in B-17F 41-24620 'Snap! Crackle! Pop!' while serving as Right Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA).



Participated in 4 Operations. See Biography events.

Connections

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

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24559) nicknamed "Old Soljer" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed as censored 25 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 "Old Soljer". 25 Jan 1943.' Printed caption attached: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Side view of Fortress. This one's been named "Old Soljer" by her crew, who have painted the name on the side of the fuselage, as shown here. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, As
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Garbage
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Two airmen of the 303rd Bomb Group admire the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Iza Vailable". Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Keystone Press Agency, 'Sacred' and U.S. Official Photograph O.W.I. [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Iza Vailable
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

26 July 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Other

Arrived in UK

16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as a Waist Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Aircraft Accident

11 November 1942 While serving as a Waist Gunner of B-17F 41-24563 "Garbage", 303BG/360BS on a training mission, the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with an RAF aircraft and forced to make a belly landing at Luton, UK. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Edward W. Durant, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

17 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljor", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Edward W. Durant, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

18 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljor", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Edward W. Durant, w/B-17F 42-2973, 303BG/360BS

30 December 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner of B-17F 42-2973 "Iza Vailable", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SSGT Edward W. Durant, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - KIA

3 January 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The aircraft was shot down and he was Killed in Action (KIA).

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

3 January 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained damage from AA fire and enemy aircraft and crashed into the Forest of Escoublac, France west of St. Nazaire.

Buried

Buried in the Brittany American Cemetery, Plot L, Row 14, Grave 2.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Capitalized the words in the "Role/job" field to aid readability.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Aircraft Accident event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur I. Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added Assigned to AIrcraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur I Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Jan-2016. Added iniial assignment and promotion info to Summary Biography; made connections to AIrcraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur I Adams crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-adams.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Jan-2015. Added SN, KIA event and crew position per MACR 15464; made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; added Burial event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; added crew position to biography per MACR 15464.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15464 / MACR 15464, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey p. 46 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database