Lt. Jackson and the Jacobs crew receive a briefing from Navigator 2nd Lt. John Curtin before boarding their aircraft on the December 24th, 1943 mission to Croisette, France.
For his first three missions, Jackson flew with the Jacobs crew, filling in for regular co-pilot Lt. Eugene Boger.
The first mission was a milk run, little flak and no fighter opposition. Jackson later wrote the following entry in a notebook: 12/24/43 5 HRS. 40 MIN. VISUAL.
On Jackson's second mission (December 30th, 1943), the Jacobs crew flew in B-17G-10-BO, Ser. No. 42-31274 on a mission to Ludwigshaven. The crew ditched the B-17 in the English Channel. One man (T/Sgt. Aldo Gregori, Assistant Flight Engineer, Waist Gunner) was lost. Jackson later wrote the following entry in a notebook: 12/30/43 3 HRS. 20 MIN. DITCHED!
Left to right: S/Sgt. Jack Goetz (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), T/Sgt. Aldo Gregori (Assist. Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner, KIA 12/30/43), 2nd Lt. Winthrop A. Jackson, Jr (Co-Pilot, WIA 05/08/44), 1st Lt. Randolph Jacobs (Pilot, KIA 05/08/44), 2nd Lt. John Curtin (Navigator, MIA 05/08/44), S/Sgt. Doy Cloud (Radio Operator).
Photo courtesy of Jack K. Goetz
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