Bedsole, Joseph Linyer, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Bedsole, Joseph Linyer, Jr   
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-797956   
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #88 dated 3 September 1943, effective 3 September 1943.
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #49 dated 14 March 1944, effective 14 March 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 13 April 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, France: Plot E Row 8 Grave 12
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 14 October 1943 per General Orders #14, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 31 October 1943.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 4 September 1921
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty on or about 6 January 1944 to Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a Flak house) per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 January 1944.
  • Granted an eight (8) day leave of absence effective on or about 6 March 1944; AAF Station Special Orders #42 dated 3 March 1944.
  • Per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #60 dated 29 March 1944 1LT Bedsole was appointed as a replacement member of a Court Martial Board established per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #41 dated 1 March 1944. This order was revoked per Station Special Order #108 dated 9 June 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3867 (53.009 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Bedsole, Joseph Linyer, JrPilotKIA
2nd Lt. Cosentino, George (NMI)Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Groh, Harold ChesterNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Wismann, William CharlesBombardierCT
T/SGT. Madden, Joseph FrancisRadio Operator / GunnerCT
PVT. Maruszak, Karol LeonardEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. Hotis, Leo ConstantineBall Turret GunnerCT
S/SGT. McMichael, Marion LouisTail GunnerCT
S/SGT. Woodall, Arthur James, Jr, "Woody"Flexible GunnerCT
PVT. Mazewski, Michael Henry, JrFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 27 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
24 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France
Co-pilot 42‑30043 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Chivenor, Devon.
Sortie Report
25 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France
Pilot 42‑29717 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire.
Sortie Report
26 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth, AAF Station 107, for reasons unknown, and returned immediately to home base.
Sortie Report
28 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
29 8 October 1943 Target: Workshops
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
30 9 October 1943 Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
31 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Podington due to weather.
Sortie Report
32 14 October 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report
33 20 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Düren, Germany
Pilot 42‑29768 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
-- 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany
Pilot 42‑37758 Sortie Report
34 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
35 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Pilot 42‑3259 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back, #3 engine failure.
Sortie Report
36 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
37 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany
Pilot 42‑3218 Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back with a supercharger failure, apparently after entering into enemy airspace and thereby earning combat credit.
Sortie Report
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
40 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
41 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
42 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Pilot 42‑3259 Combat Mission Credit
Low group, low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
43 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Pilot 42‑5404 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Pilot 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Low group high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
62 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Pilot 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
65 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany
Pilot 42‑97477 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, Low Squadron Lead. 'Turned back because he could not catch our group and too close to Enemy Territory to keep trying.'
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Lead, Low Group.
Sortie Report
68 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Pilot 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. A British Army observer and war correspondent, Maj. Anthony Cotterell, flew with this crew.
Sortie Report
84 28 March 1944 Target: Dijon-Longvic Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dijon, France
Co-pilot 42‑38208 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
89 13 April 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Commander 42‑31433 Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
High group lead. Shot down by enemy aircraft at 1350 hrs; hits scored on #3 engine, which was immediately feathered, and gas tank; entire right wing broke into a mass of flames; crashed near Gumpen, Germany. MACR 3867
Sortie Report

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