[Editor’s Note: This article was previously published in the Nov. 25, 2025 edition of The Sentinel].

LEWISTOWN — America’s legendary 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) earned its nickname “Bloody Hundredth” for the losses it sustained during strategic bombing missions over Europe in 1943. On its first mission on June 25,1943, the 100 BG lost three B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and 30 crew over Bremen, Germany. No combat unit sustained such heavy losses as the 100th Bombardment Group’s original flight crews. Only four of the original 38 co-pilots completed their combat tour of 25 missions. In 1943, the average survival of a B-17 crew member was 11 missions.

Eighteen PA aviators in the 100th Bombardment Group lost their lives during 1943. Volunteers with the non-profit Stories Behind the Stars (www.storiesbehindthestars.org) have written memorials to honor the sacrifice of each of the fallen. Mifflin County was home to one of those lost: SSGT George E. Jones.

George Ellsworth Jones was born July 4, 1921 in Lewistown to George Edward and Esther (Myers) Jones, both natives of Pennsylvania. Jones had one older brother and one younger brother. Their parents separated by 1930, after which Jones and his siblings lived with their maternal grandparentsy.

Jones enlisted in the Army Air Forces on Jan. 22, 1941 in Harrisburg. His enlistment record indicates he was single, had completed four years of high school and was working for an architect. After basic training, Jones attended aerial gunnery school. After additional training, he was assigned as a Staff Sergeant to the 349th Bomb Squadron of the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force, which flew B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers.

The 100th BG was activated on June 1, 1942, assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho, and moved to Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington to receive its first four aircrews and four B-17 heavy bombers. Additional personnel, aircraft and crews were added at Wendover Field, Utah and began bombing, gunnery and navigation training. By December, the unit’s total strength reached 37 crews, with 10 men on each crew. Flight crews flew to England on May 25, 1943 and arrived at Station 139, Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England on June 8, 1943. On 27 May 1943, the ground personnel set sail aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth from New York and rendezvoused with the air echelon at Thorpe Abbotts, where they remained throughout World War II.

The 100th BG, from June 1943 to January 1944, concentrated its efforts against airfields, submarine facilities and aircraft industries in France and Germany. The unit was involved in the epic air battles over Regensburg, Germany on Aug. 17, 1943 (for which it received its first Presidential Unit Citation) and in Black Week from Oct. 8-14, 1943 over Bremen, Munster, Marienburg and Schweinfurt, Germany. These missions cost the group 28 Flying Fortresses shot down. The 100th BG drew the dreaded “Tail in Charlie” position on the terrible Regensburg shuttle mission and were the high group on the Oct. 8, 1943 Bremen mission and again at Munster. The 100th occupied positions in the formation that were certain to be the focal point of enemy fighters’ attacks.

During the Oct. 10 Munster raid, 18 100th BG aircraft were sent, of which five aborted and turned back before reaching the target. Twelve of the 13 aircraft that reached Münster were shot down. The only surviving 100th BG B-17 to reach Münster and return was seriously damaged and with several crewmen wounded. The Schweinfurt mission of Oct. 14 became known as “Black Thursday” because the 8th Air Force lost 60 bombers. The 100th BG led the bombing of Rjukan, Norway on Nov. 16, 1943, which delayed the manufacture of heavy water for the German atomic bomb.

Jones was the ball turret gunner of a replacement crew that joined the bomb group sometime in November 1943. On Nov. 26, 1943, Jones’ crew was flying its first combat mission aboard B-17G 42-31215 when the 100th BG sent nine aircraft as part of a larger force of 107 bombers to attack industrial areas of Bremen, Germany. Somewhere over France, the aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters and was seen to fall out of formation. Shortly thereafter, about 20 miles north of Paris, the crew was spotted bailing out of the aircraft with its left wing on fire. Four members of the crew were able to evade capture, and another four were captured and became prisoners of war.

Jones was killed in action on Nov. 26, 1943 during a combat mission to Bremen, Germany when his B-17 was attacked by German fighter planes. Although mortally wounded, Jones was able to bail out of the aircraft with the help of a waist gunner. He was captured by the enemy and died of his wounds in a German hospital. Jones initially was buried in a local cemetery in France. After the war, Jones was repatriated to the United States and was laid to rest in Maitland Brethren Cemetery.

•••

Stories Behind the Stars memorials are accessible for free on the internet and via smart phone app at gravesites and cenotaphs. The non-profit organization is dedicated to honoring all 421,000 fallen Americans from World War II, including 31,000 from Pennsylvania. To volunteer or for more information, contact Kathy Harmon at kharmon@storiesbehindthestars.org or visit www.storiesbehindthestars.org.