Harold A Motz

Military
media-21799.jpeg UPL 21799 Lt. Harold (Scotty) Motz, probably taken late 1943 or early 1944. unknown location

Timothy Motz

Object Number - UPL 21799 - Lt. Harold (Scotty) Motz, probably taken late 1943 or early 1944. unknown location

Harold Motz served as a navigator with the 708th squadron, 447th Bomb Group, 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force and was based at Rattlesden, England -- about 50 miles east of Cambridge.



The story Harold told about his enlistment was that he and a group of friends had a pact: if one of them was drafted, the others in the group would volunteer. As it came to pass, when it happened, the one who was drafted spent the war stationed in the United States while the others were sent overseas.



One story told by Harold's wife after his death was that in the spring of 1944 when Harold was navigator on a flight ferrying B-17s to Prestwick, Scotland, a decoy beacon had been set up by the Germans. Some of the planes in the ferrying group followed the decoy. Harold insisted that was not correct and the pilot followed his route instead. Their plane made it to Scotland while the planes taking the other course never arrived.



Harold completed his combat tour of 35 missions with the 8th Air Force and was transferred to the Pacific, where he served with the Air Transport Command. He was released from active service on October 12, 1945.



Harold Motz and Dorothy Rita Dickson were married on August 17, 1946.

They raised a family in Detroit, Michigan where Harold worked as an engineer in the auto industry.



Harold died in 1995, survived by his wife Dorothy, three children, and (at the time of his death) four grandchildren.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 447th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35652655
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier / Pilot / Comptroller
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37536427
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Lower Ball Turret Gunner/Waist Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Due Back
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Blanco Diablo
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Swanee Pride
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ground Pounder
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shack Happy
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 18 October 1944
  • Date: 17 October 1944
  • Date: 14 October 1944
  • Date: 12 October 1944

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Detroit, MI, USA 11 May 1922

Other

Graduated from the Army Air Forces Navigation School

San Marcos, TX, USA 16 March 1944 - 18 March 1944 Graduated from Army Air Forces Navigation School, San Marcos Army Air Field, class 44-4

Other

Married Dorothy Rita Dickson

Detroit, MI, USA 17 August 1946

Died

Warren, MI, USA 12 August 1995

Buried

Ypsilanti, MI, USA https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Motz&GSfn=Harold&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=24&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=69662897&df=all&

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the S/N to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Biography updated by Timothy Motz

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Correspondence with Timothy Motz
Also: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69662897

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added associations to aircraft and missions from research document sent through to the American Air Museum by Timothy Motz.

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz, 2016

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz from crew photo of Harold Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz from info on 447bg.com

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz from info on 447bg.com

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
Contributortimothymotz
Changes
Sources

Timothy Motz

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History Roster as of 01 August 1945

Harold A Motz: Gallery (46 items)