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Mason, Earl Carter

Individual Personnel Data
Name Mason, Earl Carter
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-738778
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #53 dated 20 July 1943, effective 20 July 1943.
  • Transferred to the Army Air Force Redistribution, Station #1, Atlantic City, New Jersey (on Detached Service in Z of I), per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 5 September 1944, effective 27 August 1944.
Duty Bombardier
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 27 August 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Victorville AAF, Victorville, California, Class #43-03, 13 February 1943.
  • Placed on Temporary Duty to Coombe House Hotel, Semley, Dorset (A FLAK House) for seven days on or about 20 October 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders # 122 dated 19 October 1943.
  • Rescued after ditching on 26 November 1943 (MACR 1579).
  • Placed on Temporary Duty for seven days on or about 30 November 1943 to 8th Air Force Officers Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, Hampshire (a FLAK House) per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #156 dated 29 November 1943.
  • Completed two combat tours.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 1579⇓ (30.215 MB)
'Valor: The Saga of Barrel House Bessie' in Air Force Magazine⇗
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
1st Lt. Ingles, John Thomas⇗PilotMIA
2nd Lt. Pratt, Harry Mitchell⇗Co-pilotMIA
2nd Lt. Ruman, Charles Logan⇗NavigatorMIA
2nd Lt. Mason, Earl CarterBombardierCT
T/SGT. Feigenbaum, Melvin Allen⇗Radio Operator / GunnerKIA
T/SGT. Morrison, Clarence Theodore⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerMIA
S/SGT. Farley, John Francis⇗Ball Turret GunnerMIA
S/SGT. Brescia, Alfred Joseph⇗Tail GunnerMIA
S/SGT. Janes, Carl Warner⇗Flexible GunnerMIA
S/SGT. Spaulding, Charles Arnold⇗Flexible GunnerMIA
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
15⇗ 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
16⇗ 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Radio Operator KIA.
Sortie Report⇗
17⇗ 17 August 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29703⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back for unknown reasons.
Sortie Report⇗
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Bombardier 42‑29554⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Had to leave formation when one bomb broke loose and lodged on bomb bay doors. Jettisoned it over the English Channel and returned to base.
Sortie Report⇗
19⇗ 31 August 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Deanland, East Sussex, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
22⇗ 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Bombardier 42‑30005⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30043.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Bombardier 42‑5051⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back due to a blown spark plug.
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Bombardier 41‑24560⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; unable to locate formation after passing through cloud layer.
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
28⇗ 4 October 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑29814⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Wattisham, AAF Station 377, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3429⇗ Maj. Gilmore
Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑5051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Bombardier 42‑5051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
37⇗ 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑5051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Damaged by flak, ditched in the North Sea near the English coast, with most of the crew rescued; MACR 1579; T/Sgt. Maurice Henry awarded posthumous Distinguished Service Cross, Owens p.195; Maj. William Gilmore awarded Silver Star, Owens p. 198.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑3429⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Bombardier 41‑24560⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Composite Squadron; turned back at 1016 hrs because of oxygen failure in top turret; system dropped to zero and after it was recharged to 250 lbs it again dropped to 120 lbs in 15 mins; 18 M47A1s rtd
Sortie Report⇗
48⇗ 31 December 1943 Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship)
Type: Transportation
Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France 		Bombardier 42‑37727⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Alconbury; bombs returned.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Bombardier 41‑24560⇗ Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off
Low group high Squadron. Did not take off.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31495⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy, 41st B Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
59⇗ 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France 		Bombardier 42‑3440⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
60⇗ 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
68⇗ 28 February 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. Colonel William L Travis, 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy), Molesworth, England, flew aboard this aircraft as an observer.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
74⇗ 9 March 1944 Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
78⇗ 20 March 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
80⇗ 23 March 1944 Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Composite high group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
92⇗ 20 April 1944 Target: V-Weapon Service Bunker (under construction)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Sottevast, France 		Bombardier 42‑31364⇗ Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, High Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
93⇗ 22 April 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31235⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗

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