George D Smith

Military
media-49093.jpeg UPL 49093 Ground Crew Chief, 486th Bomb. Group, 835th Bomb. Squadron: "The fellow hanging out of the window is a ground crew chief. The photo is one of a collection of crew chiefs taken at Station 174 [RAF Sudbury]. The airman is signalling that he's going to start a particular engine. A staged photo. There are a number of these types of portraits on the website; although, I haven't been able to locate this particular one." (As per the Historian/webmaster of the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group, in a personal email to Hans V. von Maltzahn, dated 11th Oct. 2021.) The web page's official address is: https://486th.org/#
486th Bomb Group collection

A identification correction coming from the Webmaster/Historian of the 486th Bomb. Group web page , and given to me, Hans V. von Maltzahn, via an email on 11th Oct. 2021.

Object Number - UPL 49093 - Ground Crew Chief, 486th Bomb. Group, 835th Bomb. Squadron: "The fellow hanging out of the window is a ground crew chief. The photo is one of a...

Pilot Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith, and his co-pilot Lt. John R. Mason, along with the rest of their 835th Bomb. Squadron crew, flew missions from their base of operations in R.A.F. Sudbury, Sudbury, Suffolk, England, into enemy occupied Europe.



Their first mission was on the 7th May, 1944, with the target of Liege, Belgium, in bomber B24H #42-52716. Their last mission was on the 10th September, 1944, in the B17G nicknamed 'Umbriago' (#43-37983), with the target as Giebelstadt, Germany; they had 36 missions to their credit.



The crew flew in a variety of B-24(H) Liberators up to 18 July, 1944, and then used various B-17(G) Flying Fortresses beginning on 1st August, 1944. Pilot Lt. Smith never lost a crew member, or an aircraft in the 36 bombing missions they made into enemy occupied territory.



To see the Lt. George 'Hunter' Smith's Crew/Mission page visit this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm

Connections

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

Units served with

A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16092205
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Nose Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35092141
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Bold Sea Rover
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Gunga Din
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Paper Doll (?)
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron

Missions

French civillians inspect a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-32086) nicknamed "You Never Know" of the 457th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '10/9/44 France.'
  • Date: 10 September 1944
  • Date: 5 September 1944
  • Date: 30 August 1944
  • Date: 27 August 1944
  • Date: 26 August 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Sudbury airfield looking south west, the bomb dump is to the upper right of the airfield, 29 February 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC188. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Acton

Revisions

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

See the 'Crew and Mission Info' for Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Squadron crew at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

For a list of Lt. George 'Hunter' Smith's crew, and a full list of aircraft flown in, and the specific 1944 missions that Tech. Sgt. Lutes participated in, and then compare these missions to the details in the above 'Mission Log' list, see the 'Mission Info' also on the 486th web page, but at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

For a list of Lt. George 'Hunter' Smith's crew, and a full list of aircraft flown in, and the specific 1944 missions that Tech. Sgt. Lutes participated in, and then compare these missions to the details in the above 'Mission Log' list, see the 'Mission Info' also on the 486th web page, but at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

The person originally attributed to be Pilot Lt. George 'Hunter' Smith, is in fact Pilot Lt. Willis P. Smith. The crew photo was taken on the 30th March, 1945, long after Lt. George Smith's crew finished their tours-of-duty. See the official crew list of Pilot Lt. Willis P. Smith at the 486th Bomb. Group web page at: http://www.486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithWP.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

Just adding a bit of bio. to Lt. Smith's profile page. hv

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

From the "Consolidated Loading List" for Tech. Sgt. Marvin Lee Lutes, a copy of which was given to me by the Historian/Webmaster of the official website of the 486th Bombardment Squadron. hv

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

See the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group at: https://486th.org/# , and specifically G.Smith's bomber crew and mission log page: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm , and the complete missions of the 486th Bomb. Group and its four squadrons at: https://486th.org/Mssn/Prologue.htm

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed aircraft type from job

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

From the Photo Gallery of the Official Web Page of the 486th Bombardment Group: https://486th.org/Photos/index.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

Official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron: https://486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithH.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

Information on George Smith comes from the official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron; specifically under the 'Assigned Air Crews' page, 'G. Smith's Crew' list: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
See also air crew photo on this web page in the gallery at: https://486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithH.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

See the official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron, and specifically, the 'Assigned Aircrews' list, then look for 'G. Smith's Crew,' at this link: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

George D. Smith's information can be found at the official web site of the '486th Bomb Group Association' (https://486th.org/#), and on the 'Assigned Aircrews' page, specifically under his own section, 'G. Smith's Crew.'

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

George D. Smith's details can be found on the official web page of the '486th Bomb Group Association' (https://486th.org/#), and under the 'Assigned Aircrews' page, specifically under his own heading, 'G. Smith's Crew.'

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / WWW.486th.org roster

George D Smith: Gallery (2 items)