3 Replies Latest reply on Apr 24, 2019 2:25 PM by Rebecca Collier

    414th Bomb Squadron (97th Bomb Group) archival records

    George Waldroup Newbie
    George Waldroup Apr 11, 2019 11:14 PM

      I am trying to locate the archival records of the 414th Bomb Squadron (97th Bomb Group) to continue my research into may father, Capt/Maj Marvin M. Waldroup Jr. who was shot down on August 27, 1943 over Rimini, Italy in the B-17F (42-30705) named the "Ther-N-Bak" - one of two B-17s so-named.  He was one of two survivors and was captured and interned at StalagLuft I.

       

      I am also seeking the duty assignments and the "loading list" for the 414th BS which will provide the various B-17s and other aircraft in which he was an aircrew member.

       

      COL (Ret) George M. Waldroup

        • Re: 414th Bomb Squadron (97th Bomb Group) archival records
          Elliot Schneider Tracker
          Elliot Schneider Apr 15, 2019 7:29 AM (in response to George Waldroup)

          George,

           

          Was able to find information on your father in the Army Registers. He was issued AM, OLC, PH, looks like he spent some time in the service. Captured and took prisoners in 1943 Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. Hope you could look at the following might be able to order reports from https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/reports.htm#MACR  for MACR #1303

          http://www.reddog1944.com/414th_Squadron_Planes_and_Crews.htm#TherNBak for  MACR: 1303

           

          HISTORY OF THE
          B-17 #42-30705 / THER-N-BAK

          Delivered Denver 15/7/43; Colorado Springs 16/7/43; Kearney 6/8/43; Topeka 12/8/43; Scott 17/8/43; Assigned 347BS/99BG Oudna 31/8/43; transferred 414BS/97BG Depienne 14/11/43; Missing in Action Rimini 27/11/43 with Oscar C. Stedman, Jr.; enemy aircraft, crashed Rimini; Missing Air Crew Report 1303.

          Source: Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log*

          CREW 42-30705 / THER-N-BAK

          PositionRang/RankNameStatusBemerkung/Note
          P1LTOscar C. Stedman, Jr.KIA
          CPCPTMarvin M. Waldroup, Jr.POW
          NAV1LTGeorge H. ShubeKIA
          BOMB2LTWalter B. ParksKIA
          ENG/TTT/SGTRay A. ShipeKIA
          ROT/SGTClarence W. Vaughn, Jr.KIA
          BTS/SGTJames R. MeltonKIA
          WGS/SGTJames W. SandifordKIA
          WGS/SGTJoseph H. ChristiePOW
          TGS/SGTMilton H. SnyderKIA

           

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            • Re: 414th Bomb Squadron (97th Bomb Group) archival records
              George Waldroup Newbie
              George Waldroup Apr 17, 2019 3:57 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)

              Mr. Schneider:

               

              Thank you for your response.

               

              I had previously obtained that information - in fact, the MACR 1303 aircrew list was forwarded my myself to that website.  I did make a typo in that submission in that the aircrew member reflected as "Shipe" should have been "Shupe".  I have advised the website of my mistake and suspect it will be corrected in the near future.

               

              I also have two picture of the aircraft (42-30705) on bombing missions over France:

               

               

              He was also a member of the original deployment of the first bombardment to England (Operatioin BOLERO):

               

               

              And co-piloted the B-17 "King Kondor" (41-9024) as part of that deployment:

               

               

              It is the above "loading lists" of the 414th BS from June 1942 thru 27 November 1943 that I am most interested in obtaining.

               

              I am submitting a request for his OPF (201) from the MPC in St. Louis and am also considering going to the National Archives in Silver Spring, MD to review the archives of the 97th BG and 414th BS.

               

              Thank you again for you efforts to assist - it is much appreciated.

               

              v/r

               

              George Waldroup

              COL (Ret), AUS

            • Re: 414th Bomb Squadron (97th Bomb Group) archival records
              Rebecca Collier Ranger
              Rebecca Collier Expert Apr 24, 2019 2:25 PM (in response to George Waldroup)

              Dear Col. Waldroup (Ret),

               

              Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

               

              We searched the National Archives Catalog and located two file units titled 97th Bomb Group: Daily Status Report August 1943 - December 1944 from the series titled World War II Combat Operations Reports, 1941 - 1946 in the Records of the Army Air Forces (Record Group 18). We were unable to locate specific records of 414th Bomb Squadron.  Records of lower echelon units sometimes were incorporated into the files of the Bomb Group.

               

              For access to and/or copies of these records, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov. They also may be able to provide POW information on him.

               

              We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

               

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