George D Griffin

Military
media-36311.png UPL 36311 The Francis C. SMEDLEY crew.
Standing, left to right : 2nd Lt. John J. McGrath, navigator; 1st Lt. Francis C. Smedley, pilot; 2nd Lt. William J. Hewett, co-pilot; 2nd Lt. George D. Griffin, bombardier.
In front, from left to right : S/Sgt. John G. Brown, right waist gunner; T/Sgt. Norbert E. Rhodes, engineer/top turret gunner; S/Sgt. Raymond E. Dean, tail gunner; S/Sgt. Harry C. Shoffner, left waist gunner; T/Sgt. Andrew Senetsky, radio operator; S/Sgt. Robert A. Lalumiere, ball turret gunner (who had been replaced by S/Sgt James E. Gallagher for the 1 May 1944 mission) - USAAF photo.

Object Number - UPL 36311 - The Francis C. SMEDLEY crew. Standing, left to right : 2nd Lt. John J. McGrath, navigator; 1st Lt. Francis C. Smedley, pilot; 2nd Lt. William J....

Prisoner of War (POW) shot down on 1 May '44 by flak, 5 miles west of Brussels, parachuted out. Plane was 'Sunrise Serenade'

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39541967
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sunrise serenade
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 1 May 1944 Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added POW Camp info to the POW event and a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an association to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4492 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

George D Griffin: Gallery (1 items)