WWII Early 8th AAF Trunk Group , 303rd BG - Uniforms, Named Medals, LB Certificate

[Kadet]

Great...love that early un titled case for the AM

[BigJohn#3RD]

Very Nice Grouping, they do not get much better than that. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Regards

John

[KASTAUFFER]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

Outstanding grouping Kurt !! Me like :thumbsup:

 

Vic

 

He is from Illinois too Vic

 

Kurt

[KASTAUFFER]

Looks like they didnt waste any time sending him home after he completed his missions in May 1943. By June he was on an air transport plane back to the USA.

 

Kurt

 

 

[manayunkman]

Great find. Gotta love the Army Air Corps.

[DakotaDave]

Kurt

An outstanding group bar none..... I don't know if you realize it but he was the lead crew 27 Jan 1943 on the Wilhemshaven mission which was the first mission to strike Germany by U.S. forces.

If you have ever watched the movie "12 O'clock High" you'll know how significant the mission was, everyone, I mean everyone wanted to be on that mission!!!

 

 

OUTSTANDING

 

DakotaDave

[KASTAUFFER]

Kurt

An outstanding group bar none..... I don't know if you realize it but he was the lead crew 27 Jan 1943 on the Wilhemshaven mission which was the first mission to strike Germany by U.S. forces.

If you have ever watched the movie "12 O'clock High" you'll know how significant the mission was, everyone, I mean everyone wanted to be on that mission!!!

OUTSTANDING

 

DakotaDave

Thanks DakotaDave!

[vicjoy1945]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

Nice to re-visit this grouping Kurt !! Me STILL like !!

 

Vic

[fstop61]

Super find--looks like you got nearly everything-just short of the plane. Congrats.!

[KASTAUFFER]

Kurt

An outstanding group bar none..... I don't know if you realize it but he was the lead crew 27 Jan 1943 on the Wilhemshaven mission which was the first mission to strike Germany by U.S. forces.

If you have ever watched the movie "12 O'clock High" you'll know how significant the mission was, everyone, I mean everyone wanted to be on that mission!!!

OUTSTANDING

 

DakotaDave

 

 

Here is a narrative of the first mission

 

http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf

[Ricardo]

Great group!!

 

Ricardo.

[walt323]

Very nice grouping. I have a small group from the co-pilot, Lt. Swaffer.

[walt323]

Here is a smal group from The Co-pilot of the crew. He had to fly 6 missions after the rest of the crew was done to make up missions he was left off. On the last mission they were shot down and ditched in the channel.

[walt323]

Here is a picture of him from the book "First of The Many. A Journal of Action with the Men of the Eighth Air Force".

[KASTAUFFER]

Walt

 

Thanks for posting the other crewman's group! I loved seeing it,

 

Kurt

[History Man]

Very nice group Kurt....thanks for posting.

 

Philip

[KASTAUFFER]

Thanks Philip!

[KASTAUFFER]

He was in the lead crew for the Jan 27, 1943 Wilhelmshaven, Germany mission.

[KASTAUFFER]

This is my favorite early 8th AAF group. Bringing it back up.

[Willys44]

Very nice grouping, 11 bombers from 8 AF crash in my local area in Jutland in 1943 - 44

[2ad82recon]

Kurt...what a fantastic grouping....

 

my 2 questions are why Observer wings ? or was that what he was when he rotated "back home".......and 2 ...the 306th were "First Over Germany" did he transfer or is the record for Lead Crew just 303rd specific...?

 

And I am still Wowing over how complete that grouping is for a 42-43 crew

 

also check some of the ages on that flight log "home"..

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

[KASTAUFFER]

Kurt...what a fantastic grouping....

 

my 2 questions are why Observer wings ? or was that what he was when he rotated "back home".......and 2 ...the 306th were "First Over Germany" did he transfer or is the record for Lead Crew just 303rd specific...?

 

And I am still Wowing over how complete that grouping is for a 42-43 crew

 

also check some of the ages on that flight log "home"..

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

 

Hi Lloyd

 

When he was flying his missions the Bombardier wing had not been created yet. They wore Observer wings. On the uniform he wore when he got home there are are Bombardier wings on that.

 

He rotated home in June 1943.

 

He was always in the 303rd. The 306th got there first , but the 303rd was part of the Jan 27th Mission.

 

Kurt

[KASTAUFFER]

Back up

[decwriter]

Thats a great group Kurt! It shows the numbering of DFCs is widespread during the war.

[Beachmaster]

Still love this grouping, it really is as good as it gets, early crew and completed his missions, great score Kurt.

 

Cheers Dave