HARRY ROBERT TOLBERT ("PETE"; SN 33 515 957), Staff Sergeant (ret.), was born on October 19, 1923, in Fayetteville, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Clyde Wilber Tolbert, and Dorothy Estella Kope. He was an "Airplane Armorer Gunner 612," 703d Bomber Squadron, 445 Bombardment Group (H), Eighth Air Force, stationed at RAF Tibenham, England. This squadron flew B-24 'Liberator' bombing missions into Germany, and was commanded at one point by actor Jimmy Stewart (XO, Aug 1943; Cmdr, Mar 1944).

Tolbert enlisted for service on 14 Sep 1943, at Harrisburg, PA, and received his basic training at xxxxxxxxxx (?). His intention was to be a Army Air Corps pilot, however, due to a surplus of pilots, and a need for aerial gunners, he was trained in gunnery; the 'powers-that-be' had also told him that they denied his request, as they didn't think that he had the temperment to be a pilot – because he bit his fingernails.

He attended Aerial Gunnery School in March of 1944 (Laredo, TX??). 331st Combat Crew Training (CCT) School, Casper, WY (Casper Army Airfield) for combat crew assignment and further flight training (OTU > Operational Training Unit); poss. staging at Lincoln NE, and grouping at Gandor, Newfoundland (???); did they fly their own plane overseas??? (prob. not).

SSgt Tolbert was a ball-turret gunner in a B-24 Liberator' Bomber aircraft that was part of the 703d Bomb Sq, 445th Bomb Group, headquartered at RAF Tibenham, near Norfolk, England, in Great Britain…

When victory in Europe was declared, Harry returned to the United States, and mustered out, 14 Sep 1943, at Fort Indian Town Gap, PA.

(Submitted by GF Ridenour, 29 January 2015; 23 May 2012 rev.)

Harry R Tolbert