Jackson, Billy J (IO)

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Jackson, Billy J (IO) ‡ ⇗
Rank	Private / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number	18076024 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 547th Bomb Squadron Unit History, effective 13 March 1943. Transferred to a non-384th unit, per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #76 dated 21 August 1943 - Detachment of Patients, 2nd General Hospital, APO 647, effective 18 August 1943. Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 547th Bomb Group Morning Report dated 21 September 1943, effective 16 September 1943.
Duty	Ball Turret Gunner
MOS	748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date	8 March 1944
Results	Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Decorations	Awarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds received on 30 July 1943 per General Orders #88, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Wing dated 16 August 1943.
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 13 September 1923 Promoted from Private First Class to Sergeant on SO #22 dated 1 June 1943 (see also SO #25 dated 4 June 1943). Promoted to Staff Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #30 dated 15 June 1943 Wounded in both eyes on the 30 July 1943 mission, he returned to combat flying status in November 1943, even though he could not see with his right eye. '[S/]Sgt Billy J. Jackson completed [his] tour of duty and [was] sent to the first station on [his] hop home. Billy Jackson had been one of the old originals, and had been injured and transferred out of the Squadron, and then came back to finish his missions. The squadron as one man marveled at his courage and determination.' Source: 547th Squadron history (microfilm A0641-00213). Jackson returned to the states, then volunteered for another combat tour and was assigned to the 486th BG, where he flew 29 more missions as Engineer of the Stinson Crew.
Related Documents	Accident Report # 43-05-19-11⇓ (5.690 MB)

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
--	19 May 1943	None Non-combat sortie	Passenger	42‑5851⇗	Non-combat sortie, ferrying aircraft from AAB Kearney, Nebraska, to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine, en-route to combat assignment in England. Failure of the left brake and subsequent pilot actions resulted in extensive damage to the aircraft. Sortie Report⇗
1⇗	22 June 1943	Target: General Motors Truck Factory Type: Industry Location: Antwerp, Belgium	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
2⇗	25 June 1943	Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens Type: Military Location: Hamburg, Germany	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Bombed an unknown city. Sortie Report⇗
4⇗	28 June 1943	Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑3235⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5849. Turned back with top turret and ball turret problems. Sortie Report⇗
5⇗	29 June 1943	Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑30043⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
6⇗	4 July 1943	Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Le Mans, France	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
8⇗	14 July 1943	Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
9⇗	24 July 1943	Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants Type: Industry Location: Herøya, Norway	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
11⇗	28 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
12⇗	29 July 1943	Target: Naval Base Type: Military Location: Kiel, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
13⇗	30 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑30065⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead. Landed away at Horham, AAF Station 119, on return with extensive battle damage, low fuel, and a wounded crewman. Sortie Report⇗
36⇗	16 November 1943	Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway	Ball Turret	42‑29987⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
39⇗	1 December 1943	Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑39784⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5838. Sortie Report⇗
40⇗	5 December 1943	Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France	Ball Turret	42‑5838⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation for duration of mission. Sortie Report⇗
41⇗	11 December 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑3441⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
42⇗	13 December 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑3441⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead group, high Squadron lead. Sortie Report⇗
45⇗	22 December 1943	Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑5838⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron lead Sortie Report⇗
47⇗	30 December 1943	Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑3087⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
48⇗	31 December 1943	Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship) Type: Transportation Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France	Ball Turret	42‑5444⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group lead, because lead ship had to be replaced; Capt Frink transferred to this ship. Landed away at Kimbolton; bombs returned. Sortie Report⇗
53⇗	14 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Meillard, France	Ball Turret	42‑5444⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group deputy. Sortie Report⇗
54⇗	21 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France	Ball Turret	42‑3441⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
60⇗	6 February 1944	Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Ball Turret	42‑31433⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group lead. Sortie Report⇗
63⇗	20 February 1944	Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑29703⇗	41B Group. Did not take off. Sortie Report⇗
64⇗	21 February 1944	Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37801⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing deputy, 41st B Combat Wing. Sortie Report⇗
65⇗	22 February 1944	Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37801⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off 41B Group, High Squadron Lead; landed away at RAF Eastchurch, Essex, due to severe snow storm. Sortie Report⇗
67⇗	25 February 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31871⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off 41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Aborted 10 miles NW of Splasher 1 due to an oxygen leak. 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	Ball Turret	42‑31871⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
70⇗	3 March 1944	Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31433⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
71⇗	4 March 1944	Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑31433⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37801⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off High group deputy, 40th Composite Combat Wing. Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. Sortie Report⇗
73⇗	8 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37801⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing deputy. Sortie Report⇗

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