Personnel Aircraft Nose Art B-17 Thunderbird Ground Support Uniforms Journals More Info Mission Reports Combat Crews Individual Photos Photos POW KIA MACR Overseas Graves TAPS PAUL S. TIPPET CREW - 360th BS (Tippet assigned 360th BS: 29 January 1943) (Upgraded from TG/O & CoPilot, with 8 different crews, to Pilot: 16 September 1943)
(Back L-R)
1Lt Paul S. Tippet (P)(KIA)(1),
2Lt Edwin E. Mims (N)(KIA)*,
(Front L-R)
S/Sgt Jack H. Randall (TG)(KIA)*,
T/Sgt Oaks H. Smith (E)(KIA)*,
T/Sgt Thomas L. Richardson (R)(KIA)*, Not in photo: Sgt Carney C. Rhodes (Photo)(KIA)(3) (KIA) 2 October 1943, Mission #73 to Emden, Germany in B-17F Yardbird II #42-5260 (360th BS) PU-A. Aircraft was hit by gunfire from two ME-109s immediately after the formation left the target. The ship peeled off, went down out of control, and exploded above the overcast. One parachute was observed coming out of the B-17 before it went out of sight. The B-17 crashed into the the North Sea and all crewmen were killed. Crew Notes: (*) Were assigned to the Paul S. Tippet Crew on 3 September 1943. Flew three missions with the Tippet Crew #70, 71 & 73, Sept 16 & 23 and 2 October 1943.
Crew Note: 1Lt Paul S. Tippet (P) - Initial 6 missions as a Tail Gunner/Observer - 15 (14 July 1943), 16, 17, 26, 29 (As Bombardier) & 33 with four different Pilots. Became CoPilot for 11 dispatched (10 credited) missions with four crews: 1Lt Arthur H. Pentz (359BS) - 43; Capt Jack Roller (359BS) - 43A; Lt Robert W. Cogswell (P) - 49, 50, 51 (A), 52, 53, 55, 56. The Cogswell Crew ditched in the North Sea and all were rescued on mission #56 on 30 July 1943; Lt Carl J. Fyler (P) - 63, 67, 68. Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on orders dated 26 September 1943. Flew his last three missions as 1st Pilot with Lt Lewellyn H. Nemitz as CoPilot on his only three missions - 70 (16 Sept 1943), 71 (23 Sept 43) and 73 (2 Oct 43). Crew was killed on mission 73. Sgts Gibney and Greason at Fort Bliss, TX — Sgt Greason with a .50 caliber machine gun— 2Lt Mims at Dyersburg, TN [Researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht] |