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Doran, William Elmer

Individual Personnel Data
Name Doran, William Elmer
Rank Second Lieutenant / Captain
Serial Number O-766986
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #173 dated 29 August 1944, effective 29 August 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 23 March 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 14 October 1916
  • Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to Roke Manor, AAF Station 503 (a Flak house) on 14 December 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #244 dated 12 December 1944.
  • Appointed Captain (AUS) effective 17 February 1945 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 6 March 1945.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Doran, William ElmerPilotCT
2nd Lt. Hollingsworth, Fredrick ClayCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Janovic, Lawrence Joseph, JrNavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Wehe, Robert LouisBombardierCT
CPL. Reed, Warren DeromeRadio Operator / GunnerCT
CPL. Gissing, Robert (NMI)Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Holtwick, Melvin EdwardBall Turret GunnerCT
CPL. Wright, David D, JrTail GunnerCT
CPL. Batte, Clyde DeLayFlexible GunnerKIA
CPL. McMorrow, Edward JamesFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 30 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
195 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands
Co-pilot 44‑6109 Combat Mission Credit
C Squadron Deputy. Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report
196 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑31484 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
198 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Pilot 44‑6109 Combat Mission Credit
B Wing, low group. Did not bomb because unable to see wing lead release bombs.
Sortie Report
199 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Pilot 42‑32106 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
200 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Pilot 44‑6294 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
201 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany
Pilot 43‑37971 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
204 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Pilot 43‑38579 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
205 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Pilot 42‑32106 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
208 9 October 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Pilot 43‑37971 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
209 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Pilot 42‑97309 Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron.
Sortie Report
211 15 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Pilot 42‑102518 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
212 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Pilot 43‑38678 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
213 18 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Pilot 42‑97309 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron. Aborted due to faulty prop governor.
Sortie Report
214 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Pilot 44‑8409 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
216 30 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Pilot 44‑8409 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
217 1 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report
218 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
219 4 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
221 6 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
225 11 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
232 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany
Pilot 44‑8211 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
239 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Pilot 44‑8007 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
246 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany
Pilot 42‑97592 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
247 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany
Pilot 43‑38673 Combat Mission Credit
Division deputy.
Sortie Report
251 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany
Pilot 44‑8216 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report
254 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany
Commander 42‑97986 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship. Left his position and assumed lead at IP and led group on a PFF bomb run on secondary target (primary was obscured with clouds). The (secondary) target was picked up visually half-way down the bomb run but prior to release it was found that the bomb racks were frozen. He circled around and completed a second run with successful bomb release.
Sortie Report
264 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Commander 44‑8007 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, Group Deputy. PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
272 23 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany
Commander 44‑8007 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead; PFF ship.
Sortie Report
282 7 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bochum, Germany
Commander 44‑8008 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
291 18 March 1945 Target: Schlesischer Railway Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Commander 44‑8789 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report
295 23 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gladbeck, Germany
Commander 44‑8211 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report

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