George T. Senior
Sergeant George T. Senior was from North Camden. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. James J. Senior, lived at 823 Birch Street, and he had a brother, William. He entered the Army from Delaware County, PA. He was the tail-gunner on the B-17F Flying Fortress nicknamed Lady Fairweather. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
The bomber crews trained together as a unit. It is likely that he received training at the bases listed below:
| Base | Location | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pendleton Field | Pendleton, OR | 03 Feb 1942 | 10 Feb 1942 |
| Gowen Field | Boise, ID | 11 Feb 1942 | 12 Jun 1942 |
| Bombing Gunnery Range | Muroc, CA | 27 May 1942 | 12 Jun 1942 |
| Alamogordo Air Base | Alamogordo, NM | 12 Jun 1942 | 07 Aug 1942 |
| Biggs Field | El Paso, TX | 07 Aug 1942 | 24 Aug 1942 |
On August 20, 1942, George T. Senior’s unit moved to Kellogg Field in Battle Creek, MI, where they received their new B-17F bombers. They then flew in stages to their final destination, the airbase at Molesworth, England.
| Base | Location | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellogg Field | Battle Creek, MI | 20 Aug 1942 | 07 Sep 1942 |
| Dow Field | Bangor, ME | 03 Oct 1942 | 12 Oct 1942 |
| Gander Field | Gander Lake, NF | 14 Oct 1942 | 20 Oct 1942 |
| 8th Air Force | Prestwick, Scotland | 20 Oct 1942 | 31 Oct 1942 |
| Station 107 | Molesworth, England | 21 Oct 1942 | 04 Nov 1942 |
On October 10, 1942, a crew photo was taken. Sgt. Senior and another crew member are not in this picture.
Sgt. George T. Senior and his crew flew their first mission on November 17, 1942, against the submarine pens and naval facilities at St. Nazaire, France. His unit returned to St. Nazaire the next day. After a three-day respite, the 359th Bomber Squadron attacked German naval installations at Lorient, France.
Left: A B-17 over St. Nazaire. Right: Submarine pens at Lorient.
On November 23, 1942, Lady Fairweather of the 359th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomber Group, Heavy (designated BN-U), was attacked by German Focke-Wulf FW-190 fighters. The plane was seen to crash into the Atlantic Ocean in flames near Belle Isle, France. All ten crewmen were killed. This was the first combat crew loss suffered by the 303rd Bomber Group. George T. Senior is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England.
359th Original Crew — Pilot: Arthur E. Reddig. B-17F Lady Fairweather #41-24568 (BN-U). Original crew assigned 359th BS: 27 July 1942. Photo: 10 October 1942.
(Back L–R) 1Lt Arthur E. Reddig (Pilot—KIA); 2Lt Francis McMurtry (Co-Pilot); 2Lt John Ercegovich (Navigator—KIA); 2Lt Grady Ward (Bombardier)
(Front L–R) Sgt Robert W. Van Fleet (Engineer—KIA); Sgt Ferrell A. Mann (Left Waist Gunner—KIA); Sgt Gerald S. Sturgis (Ball Turret—KIA); Sgt Devon B. Nollen (Radio—KIA)
Original crewmen not in photo: Sgt George T. Senior (Tail Gunner—KIA); Sgt Alexander S. Grieb (Right Waist Gunner—KIA)
Substitute crewmen on 21 Nov 42 mission: Capt C.G. Miller — 303rd BG HQ (Co-Pilot—KIA); 2Lt J.W. Plummer (Bombardier—KIA)
(KIA) on 23 Nov 42 mission #4 to St. Nazaire, France in B-17F #41-24568 Lady Fairweather 359th BS (BN-U). 303rd BG(H) first combat crew loss. Was hit by FW-190 German fighters. Was seen to crash into the Atlantic Ocean in flames near Belle Isle, France. All ten crewmen KIA. [Photo from the 303rdBGA Archives; researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]