In my collection I have this grouping of items that used to belong to Tailgunner Kenneth W Smithers, 385th BG, 551st BS.
Thought i would share it with you guys and also ask for help if anyone has an idea of where to find his crew pic.
He was part of the McCutchen crew, and they were a replacement crew that flew their first combat mission
early 1945.
Here are a mission list:
Combat missions
TG 259 28-Feb-45 Kassel McNamara ? 43-38717
TG 260 1-Mar-45 Ulm McCutchen ? 43-38717
TG 264 8-Mar-45 Dortmund McCutchen ? 43-38717
TG 268 14-Mar-45 Hanover McCutchen Li'l Audrey 42-32008
TG 269 15-Mar-45 Oranienburg McCutchen Li'l Audrey 42-32008
TG 270 17-Mar-45 Bitterfeld McCutchen Li'l Audrey 42-32008
TG 272 19-Mar-45 Jena McCutchen Hit Parade, Jr. 42-38031
TG 274 21-Mar-45 Zwischenahn McCutchen ? 44-8763
TG 277 24-Mar-45 Zwischenahn McCutchen ? 43-39056
TG 278 26-Mar-45 Plauen McCutchen Ole Doodle Bug 43-38625
TG 283 4-Apr-45 Kiel McCutchen This Is It 43-38336
TG 284 5-Apr-45 Unterschlauterbach McCutchen Vat 69 42-107054
TG 285 7-Apr-45 Gustrow McCutchen This Is It 43-38336
TG 286 8-Apr-45 Hof McCutchen Patches 42-37952
TG 289 11-Apr-45 Ingolstadt McCutchen Ole-O-Oboe 42-102614
TG 290 14-Apr-45 Royan McCutchen Ole Doodle Bug 43-38625
He was born January 22, 1926 in Pittsfield, Illinois the son of Otto Enoch and Nellie J. Willard Smithers, Sr.
On March 30, 1946 he married Mary Ileen Musick in Quincy, and she preceded him in death on November 21, 2000.
He was a 1944 graduate of Quincy Senior High School, but was in the service at graduation time and received
his diploma when he returned home in 1945.
In 1942 Ken worked nights and Saturdays at the A&P Store, 9th and Broadway while attending high school.
In June of 1943 Ken worked for ABC Packing Machine Company, 11th and Maine,
and was foreman of two shifts in the electro-plating department which made cadmium plating fuses for
the US Army tank shells.
Ken passed the United States Army Air Force Cadet Program in 1943, and entered the service on March 30, 1944.
He was a Tail-Gunner on a B-17 Bomber, 385th Bomb Group, Wolf Squadron near Elmswell, Suffolk County, England.
Ken was a Sergeant and flew 18 missions over Germany. He was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters,
the EAME Ribbon with four Battle Stars, the American Theater Medal, the Victory Medal of WWII,
and the Good Conduct Medal. On January 3, 2003 Ken was awarded the French Consulate’s Special Diploma
for serving in French Airspace from 1944-1945. Ken completed two government sponsored courses on Gunnery and Armament Schools while in the service.
Ken was employed at Gardner Denver for 31 years and worked as a Purchasing Agent for Maintenance,
Repair and Operational Supplies.
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