August 19, 2022

Capt William “Billy” Brooks Southworth Jr

Capt William “Billy” Brooks Southworth Jr, a B-17 Pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, RAF Molesworth (Station 107), July 1943. Southworth an International League Baseball player and son of Billie Southworth manager of the St Louis Cardinals Baseball team pitches a ball for the cameras. Billy was known for wearing a Cardinals baseball cap instead of a helmet when flying.
Colour by Dan Steele

Baseball player Captain Billie Southworth, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group plays ball beneath the wings of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Planet News.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 18 Jul 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘274987.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘Ball player in US Army Air Force in Britain. Among well known Americans in the atheletic world serving with the US army Air Force in Britain is Captain Billie Southworth, pilot of a Fortress bomber. He is the son of Billie Southworth, manager of the St Louis Cardinals, and himself a ball player of note. He played for six years as an outfielder, and in the 1940 season at Toronto, Canada. Photo shows Captain Billie Southworth beside his Fortress. He is wearing a hat that his father gave him after last year’s “World Series” SFA July 16,1943.’ © IWM FRE 969

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In Boeing B-17, WW2

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