Frank W Greene
MilitaryMy mothers picture of her brother.
10-Sep-42 Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17G #41-24603 [BN-Y] "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. Arrived aboard that aircraft at Molesworth, UK on 22-Oct-42.
Shot down 23 January 1943 in B-17F #41-24603 'Green Hornet' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Flak knocked out 3 engines and aircraft was attacked by FW 190s. All crew baled out except the Pilot and Co-Pilot who decided to stay in the plane as only 1 parachute was available. Crash landed near Motreff, France. He managed to evade capture. No MACR issued.
Participated in 7 Operations (3 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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Green Hornet
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 30 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 20 December 1942
- Date: 12 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 6 December 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA | 10 September 1942 | Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. |
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 22 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS |
Other Mission #1, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #2, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 18 November 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #3, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #4, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #5, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #6, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Radio Operator of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
Other Evaded Capture |
Motreff, France | 23 January 1943 - 21 August 1943 | Baled out and evaded capture returning to England on 21-Aug-43. His evasion experience is documented on Escape & Evasion Report #51, which may be viewed at: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-51.pdf |
Other Mission #7, SSGT Frank W. Greene, w/B-17F 41-24603, 303BG/359BS - EVD |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24603 "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. The aircraft sustained heavy damage from flak, but he was able to bale out and managed to evade capture. |
Revisions
It was also noted on the Freedom of Information Act paperwork that he had received the WWII Service Lapel Button.
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Arrival in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Ellis J. Sanderson crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-sanderson.html
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Ellis J. Sanderson crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-sanderson.html
Lee Cunningham 17-Dec-2015. Added aircraft assigmment , Arrival in UK and mission participation statement to Summry Biography; made connections to all Mission particpations per my research of 303BG Mission Reports, 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 23-Jan-2015. Added SN, and Evasion event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) Escape and Evasion Report # 51: http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-51.pdf; Made connections to PLace, Aircraft and Mission within website data; Edited biography and added crew position per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. No MACR for this loss.
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. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 66 , 303rd web site mission report, Roster / Roster