George Dewey Rawlings

Military

B-17 #42-29752 ditched in Channel 13 May 1943. Returned to base.



Shot down 13 May 1943 by own waist gunner and bailed out safely.



Shot down again on 17 May 1943 mission to Lorient, France in B-17 #42-29767 'Boot Hill'. Prisoner of War (POW). Initially imprisoned at Stalag Luft 3, Poland and force-marched to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops on 29 April 1945.



Served 30 years in USAF, flew combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. Retired as Colonel in 1972.



Awards: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Purple Heart

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

William G Carnahan

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: pilot

George Ernest Forslund

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-000093
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Norville John Gorse

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-734078, 16058815
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Louis Lafayette Haltom

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-412111
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Andrew L Jorinscay

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33284173
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

US Correspondent William Shirer (middle, with glasses) meets the 40-mission veteran 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "We The People" and its crew. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'William Shirer Sees Veteran Flying Fortress "We The People". Famous U.S. Correspondent William Shirer, whose book on Germany was a great success, visited a U.S. Flying Fortresses[sic] station in England where he saw the veteran plane "We The People" which has carried out 40 missions.

42-29752

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron

42-29767

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Boot Hill
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Stalag Luft III

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

Stalag VII-A

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Faxon, Oklahoma 2 March 1922

Other

Shot down

Near Spézet, France 17 May 1943

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 17 May 1943 Interned Stalag Luft 3, Poland and force-marched to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops on 29 April 1945.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Updated the location of the POW event to “Zagan, Poland” per info n the "Summary biography",

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 15546

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15546 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor, MACR 15546, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey pp. 117, 125. Snetterton Falcons by Doherty and Ward pp. 20, 21 /son; Snetterton Falcons, pg 24